


Khrista Chronicles: I Choose You!

by CrossingTheFourthWall



Series: Khrista Chronicles [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Gen 5 wasn't out at the time, Mind Control, Story has up to Gen 4 games, anime manga and games all mixed together at once, characters gaining superpowers, characters having superpowers, first story idea I ever had and the first I ever rewrote, kinda self-insert-ish but not really, slight crossover with another work near the end of the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 01:36:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 66
Words: 137,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11453277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrossingTheFourthWall/pseuds/CrossingTheFourthWall
Summary: Khrista Langstrom didn't think video games were real until she was sucked into the bad timeline of one. Now trapped in a Sinnoh region where Cyrus has somehow won, she has to learn to control new abilities while also discovering that there is a rebellion waiting for its chance just under the surface....





	1. Prologue -- Secret Intentions

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first fanfiction idea. The original story I wrote for this has long been lost in a dead hard drive that decided to die in a thunderstorm, but it's stuck with me. Mostly because I dreamed up a good deal of it in the...sixth grade, I think? Man, that was ages and ages ago. It's evolved from being a fanfiction about me and my siblings into something else entirely, though. Joshua's still...somewhat based off my brother. But he's his own character, and so is Khrista, which makes the story pretty cool that way.

A figure paced in front of a large machine, watching a shorter, smaller figure working diligently at the controls.

"You're certain this will work," the pacing figure stated shortly, watching the other with a hard gaze. "Unlike your last round of experiments?"

The shorter figure glanced back, his glasses flashing in response to a change in the angle of light. "I am most certain. This kind of technology was highly common in the past." A sinister grin was stretched across the other's face. "It is a technology that I happen to know quite well. The trick, however, is to change the power source and lock onto that blasted girl's --"

"Yes, yes, you explained it all before." The pacer sounded irritated. "As did the other we found through the rip in space you had created."

The scientist returned to his work and gave an absent nod. "Of course, of course. I suppose there is a reason you won't use those to find --"

"Yes." The pacer walked over to the scientist, his face becoming strangely illuminated by the device in front of him. "Are you ready or not?"

The scientist glanced up in the other's direction. "I was simply recalibrating and double-checking. No use trying to find your target when we end up finding people on another world, correct?"

The taller's figure's eyes narrowed. "Just do it."

The scientist eyed the other for a moment, then returned his gaze to the monitor in front of him. "Locking in on the signal from the planet known as Earth." His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment, and then started to move about rapidly. "Someone should be coming through in three...two...now." The scientist slammed down on a large green button with a blue vortex emblazoned on it.

The reaction from the machine was instantaneous. Its engine roared to life as the sides lit up in strange patterns. There was a sudden blast of light from the top of the machine, and the column pierced through dark clouds. There was a flash of blue, and the machine powered down, leaving only the glowing monitor in working order.

The taller of the two figures started to look around. "Where is she?" he demanded.

"Patience," the scientist replied. "I may not have been able to lock onto her exact location as of yet. It will take some time in order for me to lock in on her specific bio-electric signal."

Nearby, there was a groan and the sound of someone moving. The two figures looked at each other, then started for the source of the noise.

A young man, no more than seventeen years of age, looked up in alarm as the two figures approached, his wide, blue eyes showing shock.

"No way!" he exclaimed. "You guys shouldn't be able to do something like this!"

The taller of the two figures reached down and grabbed the boy by his shirt collar, pulling him to his feet. Forcing the boy's eyes to look into his own, the taller figure demanded, "Where is White?!"

The boy blinked. There was a flash of recognition in his eyes, but that quickly disappeared. "Who? You mean the Trainer from Unova?"

"No! She is a girl from _your_ world, boy, and I intend to _find_ her." The man turned to face shadows that lay nearby. "You! Take him to his cell. Then find Saturn. He'll know what to do with him." The man threw the boy in the direction of the shadows, then turned and started back for the scientist. He didn't bother to watch as the boy was dragged into the shadows, struggling violently against his new captor....


	2. Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone asks, yes, the character called "White" is in fact Maria Carlsdale from my other series. Why Cyrus is looking for her and how he won after he was beaten by her in Maria's second adventure will be explained.
> 
> Also this was -- unofficially -- the first fanfiction I ever wrote. So please bear with the choppy prose.

"Oooh.... What happened? It feels like I've been hit by a truck."

A figure, a teenage girl of sixteen years, rubbed her head as she got up unsteadily from the ground, rubbing her head and clenching her eyes and teeth to try and stop the pain she was feeling. After a moment, the girl pushed her dark brown hair out of her face, and opened her eyes, revealing deep blue pools. Said blue eyes quickly widened when the girl got a good look at her surroundings.

Turning frantically in every direction, she squeaked, "Where am I?!"

The girl was standing in what had probably once been a grassy plain. However, everything was now black and ominous. The dirt, the rocks, the three mountains that towered close by -- even the sky, which rumbled occasionally with faint thunder. Not only that, but everything was stiff and brittle -- the noise of the grass under the girl's feet confirmed that. There wasn't even a breath of wind to move anything around -- even though the clouds were in constant motion, swirling like some witch's broth.

Cautiously, the girl stepped forward, looking around in shock at her strange, colorless surroundings. "This isn't right," she muttered. "Last thing I remember was playing on my DS...." She took a step forward, only to feel something hit her shoe. The girl looked down, frowned, then bent down and picked up the object, rubbing the dirt off with her red shirt as she did so.

"A PokeBall?" the girl asked in confusion, looking down at the red and white sphere. "Is this one of those toys that pops open?"

_"What you hold is no toy."_

The teen stiffened as he grip tightened on the ball, and she looked around with a somewhat fearful expression. "Who's there?" she asked in a squeak. "Sh-show yourself!"

 _"Look behind you_ , _"_ the voice replied, still eerily calm.

The girl turned around quickly, holding the ball up as though she was ready to throw it at who had been speaking in her head. However, when she saw who else was on the dark plain with her, the teen froze and the PokeBall dropped from her hand.

"No...impossible," the girl murmured. "You're not supposed to be real!"

The creature in front of her -- a strange, purple monster with bright blue eyes and a twitching tail -- held out its arms to its side as though it was waiting for her to run at it and hug it. _"How can I not be real if I'm standing right in front of you?"_

"But...Pokemon are only video game characters!" the girl argued. "There's no way that --"

 _"Khrista. Stop."_ The Pokemon's voice had taken on a serious tone. _"What you thought wasn't real is. Where else do you think your world gained information on mine?"_

"Your world?" Khrista's voice came out in a squeak, and she looked around in terror. "Are you saying that I'm on another planet? And how do you know my name?" She reached for her left arm with her right and started to pinch right below where the short sleeve of her red shirt ended.

 _"Pinch all you like; you're not going to wake up,"_ the Pokemon stated bluntly. _"As for your actions, what you did on your 'games' occurred here in real time in accordance with the event, in the form of an army of Trainers."_ He let out a sigh. _"The others caught on much more quickly than this. I am surprised you have not yet."_

"Caught on? Others?" Khrista was confused. "Mewtwo, what are you talking about? What's going on?"

Mewtwo let out an annoyed sigh. _"There are events taking place here that you humans of Earth never took into account. Cyrus has done things you never knew -- that you would never_ dream _of realizing."_

Khrista blinked. "The Galactic nerd?" She looked around again. "But...how did he do this? He was stopped and disappeared--"

 _"Well, he came back,"_ Mewtwo replied shortly. _"And now we have bigger problems. He's been pulling children through from your world looking for someone, and there has been...."_ He motioned to the landscape as proof.

Khrista blinked again. "Did you just say that he pulled _me_ through?"

 _"Yes."_ Mewtwo looked grim.

The one-word answer shook Khrista to the bone. She started to look around nervously again. "Then...where's Cyrus?"

 _"Not here, if that is what you're worried about."_ Mewtwo turned his head to look off to his left; Khrista followed his gaze and caught sight of a tall tower of white and blue in the distance; a rather mutilated version of the Galactic symbol was at the top. _"He will be sending a...'prelate,' I believe would be the correct term."_ The Pokemon looked back at Knrista. _"This is what he did for the others that didn't appear within his citadel."_

"Others?" Khrista repeated. "Why did he go after others?" Her looking around became a bit more frantic.

 _"You were teleported here, as were the others, because they and you had some sort of connection to this world in one way or another,"_ Mewtwo explained. _"The games, no matter which you played, resulted in your being pulled into this world."_

"Why? What would this maniac want with me -- or anybody else?"

 _"He is most likely searching for someone,"_ came a second telepathic voice.

Khrista jumped and started to look around again, only for a small, pink being to appear in front of her nose.

The teen blinked. "Mew?"

 _"I prefer Aurora,"_ the small Psychic-Type replied calmly, backing away a couple feet. _"Cyrus' hunt seems to have been kept in a certain area, rather than across your world and in different regions."_

"But...who would he be looking for?"

Before either Psychic-Type could respond, another telepathic voice shouted in her mind: _"KHRISTA!"_

The shout caused not only Khrista to flinch, but Mewtwo and Aurora as well.

 _"Rayquaza, please!"_ Mewtwo called. _"Not so loud. You could cause brain damage!"_

Khrista's eyes widened in surprise. "That was a Rayquaza?"

Aurora gave a nod. _"He has been waiting for his Trainer to arrive, and apparently thinks that the Trainer is you."_

Khrista blinked, then frowned. "Well, I have had use of Rayquaza pretty often -- he _is_ my favorite Pokemon. But how would he know --"

There was a loud cry from above, and a long, green and red, snake-like creature flew down from the clouded sky and down to the trio, circling in order to stay close.

 _"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting to meet you in person?"_ The Dragon/Flying-Type remarked with less volume. His mouth was slightly open, showing his sharp teeth in what looked like they could have been a smile. _"It's good to finally see you, Khrista."_

The teen took a step back in alarm, leaning back so that she could take in all of the Pokemon that she could. "Whoa." A nervous grin made its way across her face. "I really hope I'm not dreaming, because this is really cool."

 _"Indeed,"_ Mewtwo agreed. _"However, we can't stay here for long. We're in danger of being spotted by --"_

 _"Relax,"_ the Rayquaza scoffed. _"Entei and the others said that there was no one in sight."_ He turned to look at Khrista more closely. _"Besides, the rest of the team has been waiting to meet up with you."_

Khrista blinked blankly. "The rest of the team?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth when a blue mermaid-cat and a white and gray dog-like creature tackled Khrista from out of nowhere, sending the teen sprawling on her back while the two creatures sat on either side of her.

"Vaporrr _!"_ the mermaid-cat exclaimed, appearing to grin.

"Linoone!" the dog added, nuzzling Khrista in her side.

Khrista, who had been staring in surprise, laughed when the nose slipped under her shirt and started to tickle the teenager.

"It's good to see you too, Vapor, Linoone," Khrista stated, nodding to the two Pokemon in turn. A frown came over her face as she recalled the Pokemon that had been on her team in the game a moment ago. "But where's Swamp and Raichu?"

She got her answer when a large, blue mud fish-like creature and an orange mouse with a lightning bolt at the end of its tail ran past Mewtwo and Rayquaza as Khrista was getting up. Both Pokemon murmured in their respective cries as they came close and circled around their Trainer.

Mewtwo let out an annoyed sigh and shook his head. _"This will get us even more attention from Cyrus, Rayquaza. You should have left them on the mountain with Entei, Suicune, and Raikou."_

 _"Like I was going to sit around when my Trainer is right here!"_ the Legendary retorted.

"The three Legendaries from Jhoto are up there?" Khrista asked, motioning to the nearby mountains.

Aurora gave a nod. _"They have been protecting what remains of the free Pokemon, though now only a small number of...'Legendaries' are left."_

Khrista frowned. "Left? What do you mean?"

 _"It involves Cyrus and his plans,"_ Mewtwo replied shortly. _"Darkrai and Cresselia have been working on keeping hope in the rest of the world -- and terror in the tower -- but there hasn't been much progress in that. And Articuno has been begging for something to do, but the others haven't let her out of their sight for fear of what could happen."_

Khrista gained a worried look -- one that was mimicked by her Pokemon team. "You mean Cyrus is trying to catch all the Legendaries?"

_"That seems to be it, yes."_

"Why hasn't anyone stepped up to stop him yet?" Khrista demanded. As she looked around at the Pokemon that surrounded her, another thought entered her mind. "Where's Ash Ketchum?"

The Pokemon looked at Khrista in surprise, then at each other with concerned expressions. Khrista didn't like the look of it, or that Mewtwo had gained a guarded expression that she normally saw on TV.

"What happened to Ash?" Khrista asked cautiously, her eyes flicking between each of the Pokemon.

 _"Do you wish to tell her?"_ Aurora asked, looking to Mewtwo. _"Or shall I? After all, Chaos, you were there."_

Khrista blinked upon hearing the unfamiliar name, then realized it was Mewtwo's name when he bowed his head and shut his eyes.

A moment later, the Psychic-Type began to speak.

 _"When Ash finished the Sinnoh League, having not run into Team Galactic at all during his journey, Cyrus somehow managed to escape from the Distortion World,"_ Chaos explained in a dark tone.

Khrista's eyes widened. "Ash didn't fight Team Galactic? Then who did?"

 _"Another Trainer who we happen to be allies with,"_ Aurora explained. _"However, she wasn't in the region at the time, nor was she in our world."_

"Not in your world?" Khrista frowned. "Wait...you said that Cyrus was looking for someone --"

 _"I will explain that part of our situation later,"_ Chaos stated quickly. _"For now, Ash is the center of our story, not White."_

Before Khrista could open her mouth again to ask who White was, the Pokemon continued.

_"Ash climbed to the top of Mt. Coronet with four allies -- the Legendary Pokemon of the Lakes, as well as myself -- to stop Cyrus before he went too far. However...it did not go so well."_

Khrista's eyebrows came together as a concerned frown came over her face. "It's got something to do with what's around us, doesn't it?"

" _Yes. Cyrus won, and he plunged the world into darkness."_ Chaos bowed his head.

"Such a sad story," came a sarcastic-sounding voice.

At once, all the Pokemon around Khrista bristled as they turned to face the voice, and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Slowly, she turned around, then froze when she saw who had spoken.

"Of course, that's just how you tell it," remarked the black-haired, thirteen-year-old boy standing in front of the group. A dry, emotionless grin was stretched across his face, and his arms were crossed over his chest, which clearly bore the Galactic symbol. In fact, the boy's entire outfit was the Galactic uniform.

It wasn't this that caught Khrista's attention, however: it was the pair of dark red eyes that watched her coldly.

The girl took a step back, her blue eyes still locked on the boy's orbs. "...Ash?"

The empty grin seemed to widen, and the red-eyed boy laughed. "Well, look at that! The kid isn't clueless after all!" He looked over at the two Psychic-Types and Rayquaza, and a gleam came into his eye -- a gleam that Khrista didn't necessarily like. "And you've got three Legendaries, too! Master is going to be really pleased with this!"

Swampert snorted and moved in front of the three Legendaries. Raichu joined him, looking just as defensive and angry as electricity sparked from her cheeks.

"Raii," the Electric-Type said in a warning manner.

Ash appeared to be bored from this show of aggression.

"Cute," he said dryly. The teenager reached behind him and brought a black PokeBall out of nowhere. "But you're nowhere as scary as this guy."

With an emotionless toss, the PokeBall was thrown into the air, and it popped open with an explosion of dark light, releasing a large, dark snake-like creature with six black tentacles and a golden mask on its face.

Raichu and Swampert looked up at the giant Pokemon in front of them, and the stiffened in to battle stances.

"We've taken on bigger," the mud fish grunted, gaining a look of surprise from Khrista.

The girl shook off her confusion, deciding that Swampert's statement was probably a trick by her mind or something. "Giratina looks more creepy than usual," she muttered. "And not just because he's in Origin Forme." Glancing back, she asked Chaos, "And what in the name of Arceus happened to Ash up there? He's supposed to have brown eyes, not... _that_ color." She glared back at the Kanto Trainer, who was still standing where he was with a smug look on his face that was contrasted by the blank look in his eyes.

"Oh, so you _don't_ know!" Ash let out a short, cold laugh. "You haven't told her yet, Mewtwo? I'm so disappointed." He made a show of shaking his head, a smirk still on his face.

Chaos' eyes narrowed. _"I have had enough of your childish antics."_ He made a motion with a three-fingered hand, a strip of Psychic energy appeared out of nowhere over Ash's mouth. The teenager struggled for a moment, but then stood still, eyes staring blankly at he group. Giratina continued to float where he was, his eyes seeming to bore into Khrista's very soul.

Khrista looked over at Chaos. "What happened?" she repeated.

Chaos let out a sigh. _"There was a great fight between Cyrus and us. However, something gave. Giratina unleashed...a powerful attack that knocked everyone back. In seconds, Cyrus had unleashed the one weapon he had been building during his exile -- the one thing he used to ensnare Giratina, and had attempted to use before on others. Ash...he stood in its way and let it take him, rather than see us taken."_

As Chaos spoke, the back of Khrista's mind echoed with voices yelling -- a memory being transferred from the Psychic-Type, perhaps?

_"Ash! No!"_

_"Go! I'm not going to let you guys -- nnnrgh -- fall under his control!"_

_"But --"_

_"GO!"_

Khrista found herself at a loss for words. "No...he...." She quickly remembered what had happened in the Sinnoh games. "He took the Red Chin for you guys?"

Chaos nodded grimly. _"Unfortunately, not all of us were able to escape unscathed. The Lake Spirits...."_ The Psychic-Type bowed his head.

Khrista's eyes widened. "No...they got taken, too?"

"Master wouldn't say 'taken' so much as 'enlightened'," came Ash's voice again. Khrista turned, only to see that the Psychic energy Chaos had gagged the boy with was gone, revealing that empty grin again. "A lot of Pokemon have been, but I'm the only human." The grin widened. "Lucky me."

Khrista took a step back, only for her legs to bump into something. Glancing down, she saw that Vapor and Linoone were standing right behind her, looking up at her with concerned eyes.

 _I can't let them down,_ Khrista realized. _They're my Pokemon. They look up to me, whether I've really been here or not._ Her resolve strengthened, she turned back to Ash with a newfound glare in her eyes.

"All right, _Ash Ketchum,_ " Khrista hissed. "How about we settle this the old fashioned way, huh?"

"Oh, really?" came the response.

"Yeah. You, me." Khrista pointed at Ash and herself. "Pokemon Battle. Right here, right now." The teenager pointed at the dark ground below them, looking just about ready to throw herself into the fight if not for what she knew of that world's rules.

The grin faded from Ash's face, replaced with a blank frown. "I wasn't told to battle you."

"If Trainers lock eyes, they have to battle," Khrista snapped in reply. "Even your puppet master should know that well enough."

The Pokemon around her looked at each other; Raichu and Swampert exchanged glances before smirking and nodding.

Ash blinked, then he let out a sigh. "All right, all right. Giratina could use some exercise, anyway. Which one of your little pests are you going to use first?"

Khrista turned to look back at her team and the three Legendaries, quickly going over Type match ups in her head.

"Rayquaza," Khrista called out. "You've done the best against this guy before. You up for another round?"

The Dragon/Flying-Type looked down at the teenager, then over at Giratina for a moment before nodding, his mouth opening up on some sort of sharp-toothed grin. _"Yeah. That'll work just fine."_ He snaked around the group and brought himself up into his gigantic height in between Khrista and Giratina. _"Bring it on!"_

As if in response, the Distortion World Pokemon let out a roar and brought its tentacles forward in a fast, stabbing motion that brought forth a purple-tainted blast of wind. Rayquaza ended up taking the blow, causing the wind to part and avoid hitting the other Pokemon and Khrista.

"Blast back with Dragon Pulse!" Khrista yelled, one arm up so that what wind that got to her avoided her eyes. "It'll help us get a good idea of what that thing's strengths are, at least."

Rayquaza, even though he was being battered, drew us head back as a purple and white sphere of energy materialized in his open mouth. A moment later, the sphere became a wide beam that slammed into the other Legendary, causing it to shriek loudly and get pushed back.

Giratina quickly recovered, however, and it's tentacles started to glow a bright red as it started to fly up close to Rayquaza.

In a panic, Khrista called out, "Fly!"

Rayquaza responded quickly to the command, shooting upward right before Giratina's tentacles slammed into the green dragon's previous position. Rayquaza circled around above them for a moment, then slammed into Giratina's body, gaining another cry from the opponent Pokemon.

But then the Sinnoh Legendary turned into black shadow, then disappeared entirely as Rayquaza removed himself from lying on top of Giratina.

"Was that --"

 _"Shadow Force,"_ Chaos confirmed grimly. _"He could appear anywhere in this area and attack from any side."_

Khrista, who had looked back at the Pokemon, gave a nod. "OK. But not if we can try to spot him first." Looking back at Rayquaza, she stated quickly, "Up in the air again -- we need to see where Giratina might end up showing up."

The Legendary gave a nod, then took off into the sky and started to circle the group of Pokemon and his Trainer.

Ash gave another cold laugh and a crooked smile. "Like that's going to work! Even _I_ don't know where Giratina's going to show up!"

Khrista turned sharply and glared at the Trainer with as venomous a glare as she could muster. "The Pokemon has _a mind of its own,_ of _course_ you wouldn't know!"

 _"I see him!"_ Rayquaza started to barrel downward towards a location a good distance away from both Ash and the others. However, the Pokemon was quickly forced to retreat when a ball of dark energy was blasted at him. _"Well, that's his fourth attack."_

Khrista frowned as she watched the two Pokemon collide with each other, then looked back at the other Pokemon. "Normally, Giratina would have been knocked out by now. Something's wrong."

 _"It most likely has something to do with the device that Cyrus was able to create and use to ensnare,"_ Aurora stated grimly. _"Perhaps, if a Pokemon became too far gone, he or she would be able to beat him."_

"Too far gone?" Khrista repeated, frowning. She looked over at the scuffle, and, seeing that Rayquaza was starting to look more exhausted than Giratina, decided to play one of her trump cards -- maybe this would turn the tide.

"Outrage!" the teenager screamed.

Rayquaza suddenly let out a loud, angered roar that seemed to shake the ground; Khrista took a step back when the wave of noise hit her full-on in the face. Blinking rapidly, she watched as Rayquaza started to go after Giratina with much more force that he had been before -- no holding back, now.

Giratina let out a loud screech when Rayquaza lashed out and sunk his teeth into the Ghost/Dragon-Type. Rayquaza didn't let go, even when the other Legendary slashed at him with his tentacles; instead, he shook Giratina around for a moment, then let go by tossing him into the air. The new-found chew toy crash-landed, sending large pieces of the ground flying in all directions -- including Khrista's.

 _"Be careful!"_ Chaos barked as he and Aurora moved in front of the Trainer. An energy shield went up seconds later, causing the dirt clogs to bounce off. As they did, Khrista caught sight of small, multicolored spheres bouncing in all directions.

"Are those more PokeBalls?" Khrista asked, wide-eyed.

 _"Yes,"_ Aurora replied. _"The PokeBalls of the Pokemon Cyrus has taken. No one has yet to reclaim any of the capture spheres."_

Meanwhile, Rayquaza was starting to growl as Giratina got up from the rut it had created. The two Legendaries charged at each other and were soon in a wrestling match of sorts, both letting out angry snarls as they continued to claw and bite at each other. Khrista knew that she was going to have to throw out her other trump card.

"Rayquaza!" Khrista yelled. "Use --"

 _"Don't!"_ Chaos put a three-fingered paw over Khrista's mouth. _"Rayquaza is too deep in his anger to hear you now. If you call him out, it will leave him weakened and open to attack from Dark Giratina. He will take care of this -- do not worry."_

As the Mewtwo removed his paw, Khrista blinked at him in confusion, then nodded reluctantly, concern clear on her face.

"All right," she stated, reluctantly. "If you say so."

Meanwhile, Rayquaza was still thrashing about, attacking not only Giratina but the surrounding countryside. One of his claws, crackling with energy, slashed out a Giratina so quickly that the Dark Legendary let out a cry of pain as its form seemed to shift.

A second slash, and there was the loud sound of something made of glass breaking. A moment later, some kind of red dust went flying off the Ghost/Dragon-Type and took to the skies before dissipating.

 _"Incredible,"_ Aurora murmured.

Beside Khrista, Raichu let out a delighted cry. A moment later, she exclaimed, "I knew you could do it, Rayquaza!"

Khrista looked down at the Electric-Type in surprise, then shook it off. Turning to look at Aurora, she asked, "Did Rayquaza just break a Red Chain?"

 _"Indeed,"_ Aurora replied with a nod.

Giratina, now freed of the Chain, looked about quickly, let out a loud shriek when he saw Ash, and turned and flew off for the mountains, using Shadow Force to get fully out of sight.

In response, Rayquaza let out a roar at the retreating Pokemon, then turned to face the rest of the group. Khrista felt her blood run cold as she saw the crazed look in his eyes.

"Chaos, don't Pokemon snap out of confusion after a battle?" Khrista asked, looking over at the Mewtwo with a look of cautious confusion.

 _"That used to be so,"_ the Psychic-Type admitted. _"However, there have been changes made since Cyrus brought his own ideas forward."_

Rayquaza looked around the plain, growling at everything that moved. Ash was getting the most attention, and the controlled Trainer seemed to be enjoying it.

"Well, looks like I might be able to get a new toy for my Master," Ash remarked.

"You're not getting Rayquaza," Khrista responded instantly, pointing at Ash accusingly. "He's a part of _my_ team, not some wild monster."

"Oh, yeah?" Ash grinned. "I'll change that, believe me." He looked back at the Legendary.

Khrista felt her blood run cold when she saw that Ash's arms were starting to glow a dangerous red.

Swampert let out a growl. "Oh, no he won't." He started forward, but Chaos held out an arm in front of the Water/Ground-Type.

 _"Careful,"_ the Psychic-Type warned. _"There's a chance that you will be caught, too."_

"What's going on?" Khrista asked in a squeak.

 _"It's called the Ketchum Treatment,"_ Aurora explained. _"He is going to bind Rayquaza, like he was bound. It will drain him of any spirit he has."_

Khrista's eyes widened, and she paled. "No...." She looked back at Ash, who was starting to build up more energy. "We've got to stop him!"

Chaos started to explain. _"If any of us step forward, his concentration will --"_

Khrista didn't want to hear any more of it. She dashed forward, yelling, "Ash Ketchum! STOP!"

The Kanto Trainer turned his head to look in her direction with his dead eyes. "Why?"

Khrista was so desperate to save her Pokemon, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"It's not Rayquaza you wanted -- it's me!"

There was a collective gasp from the Pokemon behind Khrista.

Ash jolted upon hearing Khrista's voice, then turned his head to look in her direction. The red crystals that had been forming on his arms suddenly died.

"Just...just leave him alone!" Khrista added in a squeaky, panicked voice.

Ash gave what might have passed as a skeptical, curious expression for him. "You would sacrifice yourself to keep me away from your Pokemon?" He turned fully and walked towards Khrista, who took a step back with a hesitant expression on her face.

A sinister grin came over Ash's face, but Khrista could have sworn that she saw concern -- or was that _fear?_ \-- in the Trainer's red eyes.

"Man, you really must be weak," Ash stated coldly. "Fine. I'll let your precious Pokemon go." He raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

A moment later, it was as though space was warped around Khrista in three different places, and three small, rather familiar figures appeared. Khrista's now fearful gaze moved around, looking at each one in turn: one had a sickly green head where yellow should have been, the next was a magenta rather than pink, and the third was so dark purple that it was nearly black, despite having once been blue.

"All right, you three, " Ash stated. "We've gotta head back to the Master -- stat." He looked back at the other Pokemon, who were staring at Khrista in shock. "And you six better take your friend and get out of here before I change my mind!"

Before Ash could say anything more, the three corrupted Lake Spirits raised their arms and let out a simultaneous call that resulted in the space around Ash and Khrista becoming warped. A moment later, they weren't on the plains anymore.

They were standing in front of the giant citadel. And there were two familiar figures standing directly in front of it. Khrista would have backed up in fear if it weren't for the fact that she was presently surrounded by three Legendaries who could knock her out at a moment's notice.

One of the two figures -- a woman with long purple hair -- stomped forward and glared down at Khrista before moving her attention to Ash.

"Where's the girl's Pokemon?" the woman demanded.

Ash shrugged. "Back at the Graveyard. I'm giving them a five-minute headstart before I hunt them down."

"Are you nuts?! They're going to be gone before you get back out here!"

The Kanto Trainer let out an annoyed sigh. "Look, she wanted me to take her instead of one of her Pokemon. Master told me to get her, anyway." He looked over at Khrista, who shrank back. The movement caught the attention of the purple-haired woman and the blue-haired man standing by the door.

Khrista swallowed nervously as the woman looked her over. _Jessie and James are working for Team Galactic? Why?_

Jessie frowned as she looked down at the teenager, then returned her attention to Ash -- or, more specifically, the belt around his waist. "Where's Giratina?"

 _"Gone,"_ came a simultaneous hum from the Lake Trio.

Khrista shuddered upon hearing their voices -- they sounded too much like robots.

Jessie glanced over at Khrista. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Ash shrugged. "I would have gotten the Rayquaza that did it if she hadn't broken my concentration."

"You're not getting any of my Pokemon!" Khrista burst out, angered at how he had said it so flippantly. " _Especially_ not Rayquaza!"

"Shut your mouth!" Jessie barked.

Khrista scowled and stuck her tongue out, remembering what exactly she had seen multiple times on Saturday mornings with the pair from Team Rocket. Even though she was without her Pokemon, that didn't mean that she couldn't respond boldly to the threats.

Jessie let out a low growl in response and raised a hand as though to hit the girl, but Ash grabbed her arm and prevented what might have been a hard slap.

"Remember, we don't know if this is her yet or not," he growled. "I have to take her to the Master to be sure."

Jessie's snarl faded from her face, and she looked over at Ash. A moment later, she relaxed her arm and gave an annoyed huff. "All right, fine. But if she isn't --"

"Yeah, yeah." Ash waved an arm carelessly. "I'll make sure you're at the top of the list." He looked over at Khrista, then started towards the door of the citadel.

A moment later, Khrista let out a yelp as she felt something lift her up and carry her forward. She looked to either side of her in alarm, and came to the conclusion that the Lake Spirits were using their Psychic abilities to lift her into the air. Maybe they thought they could move faster this way?

As the group went though the entrance, Khrista heard James mutter, "Let's hope the boss doesn't miss Giratina."

A moment later, the door was shut behind them, leaving Jessie and James outside.

Khrista swallowed nervously as she looked around at the stark white walls, floor, and ceiling that formed the room they had just walked into. There were three glowing panels on the floor at the opposite end of the room.

Ash started towards the one in the center, grabbing Khrista's arm and pulling her with him. "Come on. Master's going to want to see you." He dragged her onto the glowing panel that was in the center.

Khrista released a shudder as she felt a tickling sensation crawl over her body. There was a bright flash, and their surroundings instantly changed into a long, white hallway that had no defining features or pops of color.

Except for the two long lines of kids and Pokemon on either side of the hall.

They're standing like soldiers, Khrista realized. She looked over each of their faces, and shock smacked her in the face when she realized that these were people from her school -- her home town.

 _Chaos said something about looking for someone...._ the girl recalled. Her eyes widened. _Is she in my neighborhood?!_

Ash's grip tightened on Khrista's writs. "Hurry it up, girl. We don't have all day for you to gawk."

Khrista glared at his back. "Oh, sure. Like Cyrus left time to run its course," she snapped.

Ash stopped sharply and turned around in order to give Khrista the full force of his emotionless glare. "Listen, you. You don't say the Master's name in this building without his permission."

"Then what am I supposed to call him? Galactic Goonhead?" Khrista had picked up the nickname some time ago from a friend, and it seemed right to spit it out now.

It was as if everything had suddenly stilled.

Ash stiffened and tried to look more intimidating. "You didn't."

"I believe I did." Khrista stuck her tongue out at the Kanto Trainer. "And I bet there's nothing you can do about it."

Ash's red eyes narrowed, and a moment later, Khrista felt something hit the back of her head -- hard.

The world went dark.


	3. Reporting In

Ash gave a nod to the three Lake Spirits. "I was about to do the same myself."

Dark Uxie wordlessly removed his tails from the back of the brown-haired girl's neck, where he had applied a large force of Psychic energy a few seconds ago. Then the Pokemon floated ahead and continued down the corridor. Dark Mesprit and Dark Azelf followed after him, carrying the unconscious other-worlder between them.

Ash followed after them, his face shifting to a blank slate. He was so intent on getting to the master of operations that he didn't even notice a pair of wide, shocked eyes follow him down the corridor.

When the Red Chain-bound Trainer turned an invisible corner and disappeared out of sight, the pair of eyes snapped back into a blank stare at the figure across from her. Both figures shared a quick exchange full of emotion before settling back into the blank state of the others around them.

Ash ended up taking another warp panel at the end of the corridor, taking him and the Lake Spirits to a hall that had steel doors on either side, each with a different symbol in different colors. The hall was filled with noise, despite the strong metal, and the cries of the Pokemon would have made normal Trainers cringe.

The brown-haired girl would have most certainly started shouting in protest if she had still been awake.

As Ash walked by a door with a yellow lightning bolt, something on the other side let out a loud scream. It wouldn't have sounded like anything in particular if the hearer couldn't understand Pokemon, but some did know.

Ash certainly knew. The Pokemon was screaming his name with a vengeance.

_"Ash! Break loose! I know you can!"_

Ash stopped suddenly and gripped his chest as he doubled over and gritted his teeth.

The Lake Spirits turned and looked back at him. The girl didn't fall from the lack of attention, however.

Ash noticed them looking and glared up at them. "I'm fine," he hissed as he stood upright. "Let's keep moving." He walked past the Lake Spirits and onto a glowing, dark blue panel. The three Legendary Pokemon followed after him with the girl.

When Ash stepped off the panel's other end, he walked over to stand in front of a desk and stood ramrod straight with his arms at his sides. The Lake Spirits appeared not long after and moved to hover next to the warp panel.

The man behind the desk gave Ash an indifferent look. "Report."

"We've got the last kid who came through," Ash stated. He didn't bother to look back at the three Pokemon that were holding the girl. "She broke Dark Giratina minutes after I found her."

The figure behind the desk suddenly looked interested. "And the Pokemon she had used?"

"A Rayquaza." Ash gave a sneer. "She was willing to sacrifice herself for it. Can you believe that?"

"I can." The figure behind the desk turned his head and looked out over the dark area in front of the tower through a large window. His blue eyes scanned the area in front of the mountains' bases, but didn't see the large green dragon. "And you let them get away, you foolish boy."

Ash shrugged, but his face showed that he was oddly nervous -- especially since it actually showed in his red eyes. "I was going to let them get a head start so I could hunt them down, that's all."

"Boy, you have to get them when you get the chance, not so that you can gain the thrill of the hunt," the man snapped.

Ash bowed his head. "Sorry, Master. It won't happen again."

Ash's master scoffed. "See to it." He looked at the Lake Spirits. "Bring her to me."

The Darkened Legendaries wordlessly came forward with the girl, coming to a stop next to Ash. The man behind the desk got up and walked over to the girl in order to inspect her more closely.

Ash's gaze moved with the man, watching him as he observed the girl's face and her clothing. For a second, his eyes flickered to brown, but they returned to red just as quickly.

"She may look like the one I am searching for, but this isn't her," Master growled, stepping away from the girl. "And every single child has already been taken from that place. _She_ must have learned of me and found a way to avoid me."

"Then your enemy would come, wouldn't she?" Ash pointed out. "You said yourself that she wouldn't want anyone to suffer."

"The child has connections," the Master replied. "I doubt that she would leave this world undefended." He turned and looked out the window again, his gaze going over the three sphere-like items that hung from the walls like trophies.

Well, one of them wasn't going to be of much use to him anymore, considering that the corresponding Pokemon had left his sight.

"Take her down to the Chamber," the Master stated without looking over at Ash. "She can still be of some use to us, at least."

Ash bowed, then turned and started for the warp panel as the Lake Spirits followed, but then a loud screech was heard from somewhere outside of the building.

A blast of cold air came in through the ventilation system -- which had been previously cycling lukewarm air -- and, at the same time, the window the Master had been looking through completely shattered.

A wall of snow rammed into the room, covering the floor and swirling around Ash and the Lake Spirits in small tornados. The girl dropped into the snow and lay on her side.

Ash paused as the snow enveloped him. He felt something wrenching at his heart from somewhere outside of the building.

The boy heard something crack, and instantly the snow died. A red dust moved across his vision before it dissipated in a shower of sparks.

Red eyes flickered brown again for just a moment, and they moved when Ash heard something -- no, three _someones_ \-- yawn almost instantly.

Mesprit stretched out her limbs as the dark magenta part of her head flickered back to a more friendly pinkish. _"Thanks, Arctic! We really needed that."_

Azelf also stretched, bending back as though aiming to get a nice crack from his back. His dark purple head flashed back to a bright blue. _"Nice touch, breaking the window like that."_ He looked over at Uxie and grinned. _"You want to do your thing?"_

Uxie's tails moved around to the front of his head and brushed a clump of snow off the red jewel on his forehead while his green head lightened into a friendly yellow. _"No. Now is not the right time for it. Deserve it though he does, there are other things to attend to."_

Below them, the teenager started to stir. As she started to get up on her hands and knees and notice the man who was watching everything with a blank look on his face, Mesprit flew down and touched the girl lightly on the shoulder.

 _"Sleep,"_ the Legendary murmured. _"You will need the rest."_

The girl collapsed into the snow again without saying a word.

Azelf snorted, still looking at Uxie. _"Well, if you won't use it on him, we can at least get the kid out of here."_ He flew down to the girl and grabbed her shirt.

Ash got into a defensive stance, red crystals starting to form on his arms. "Don't you dare. You've got nothing from stopping me changing you back."

Azelf looked over at the boy's arms, his eyes widening. The Legendary quickly backed away from the girl and exchanged glances with Mesprit.

Uxie placed his paws on his fellow Lake Spirits' shoulders. _"There is another way."_

There was a bright flash, and the three were gone.

Ash dropped his arms, and the red crystals disappeared into dust.

The Master looked at the place the three Legendaries had been for a moment longer, then looked over at Ash. "There was a Legendary here, and you didn't sense it?" The man's voice was somewhat strained from use of emotion.

"My focus was on my objective, Master," came Ash's reply. He looked down and nudged the brown-haired girl with a shoe, but she didn't move. "What should I do with her?"

"Do what I told you previous to the attack: take her down to the Chamber." The Master turned and looked at the shattered opening that had once been a window. "I doubt that the Legendary who did this is still nearby. Neither are the Pokemon that belong to this girl." He turned and looked back at Ash. "No matter. There is a chance we can use her to track them later."

Ash gave a nod and started to reach down towards the girl, but paused. A moment later, the boy stiffened, and his arms slammed against his sides as his eyes violently changed from red to brown -- an _angry_ brown.

At the same time, rings of red crystals formed around the boy's chest, waist, and legs, keeping his arms and legs in place.

A snarl formed on Ash's face as he glared at the man he was forced to call Master. "You've got to stop! You're tearing our world apart!"

"It's _my_ world, boy, not yours," the man sneered in reply.

"It's the Pokemon's world, too! What makes you think they're enjoying this as much as you are, huh?! I know Giratina wasn't -- and Pikachu --"

"You will NOT speak that creature's name in my presence!"

"Pikachu is HATING it!" Ash roared, ignoring the man's order. "EVERYBODY IS!!!"

"You are going to pay for your insolence, boy," the man growled, starting forwards.

"No. _You_ are." Ash raised his voice again, looking out the window. "I'M STEERING CLEAR! YOU CAN HAVE HIM WHENEVER YOU WANT!"

The man turned sharply in order to see who Ash might have been talking to, but a bright red flash caught his attention before he had even fully turned around. Glancing back, he saw that the red crystals were gone, and that Ash was calmly picking up the girl and throwing her over his shoulder.

Red eyes looked over at the Master with a blank stare, the last dredges of anger disappearing from Ash's face.

Without another word spoken between them, Ash turned and walked over to the warp panel and out of sight.

The Master glared after the boy, then turned and grabbed a phone-like device off his desk, not particularly caring about the cold glass shards. Pressing a number, he promptly held it to his ear. "I need a crew to replace my window, and five others to search the area. The Legendary who attacked me may not have gotten far."

_::Understood, sir. We're moving out::_

**Time Break**

"The Master wants her conformed _pronto?_ "

Ash gave an annoyed sigh. "I believe that was _implied_?" He sounded like he was annoyed with the man in the lab coat in front of him. "Now are you going to take this kid or not?"

The scientist swallowed and carefully grabbed the girl and moved her off Ash's shoulder. If he was at all surprised that the teenager had managed to carry his burden into his working quarters, he didn't show it, even when _he_ had difficulty carrying the girl on his shoulder.

"It may not work," the scientist warned as he started to turn to face the largest machine in the room. "It's been overheating because of repeated usage on those two --"

"Just do it," Ash replied shortly. "I already have someone who could take over as an overseer for the girl."

The scientist's green eyes widened, and he turned around fully and walked over to a conveyor belt that had metal bands strapped to it. He dropped the girl on the belt with a _thud_ , then strapped the metal bands over her arms, legs, and waist. "Maybe this will last a little longer, if the effect stays on our other subjects."

"Does it look like _I_ care?" Ash replied. "I've been telling you guys that you should just use me on them and save you the trouble."

"The effect it had on you is...questionable at best." The scientist moved to a collection of controls mounted to the side of an alien-looking machine in the middle of the conveyor belt, completely covering the moving device from view.

"We're lucky this is working with our upgrades," he muttered under his breath. "It's good machinery, despite being made by a Pokemon...."

"You don't need to tell me," Ash snapped, his eyes flashing a deeper red. "I was _there,_ you idiot. Remember?"

The scientist let out a sigh. "So they tell me." He pulled a lever, and the machine started up with a rickety hum that deepened to a roar. The conveyor belt began moving with a start, then more smoothly.

As the girl passed the scientist, she grumbled something in her sleep. He didn't catch what she had said, but took it to mean that she might be waking up soon.

As soon as the subject was out of sight, the scientist pressed a blinking red button on the control panel, then turned to look at Ash. "There."

_"Not quite."_

Ash turned his head upon hearing the familiar telepathic voice. His red eyes zoomed in on a blue head peering up from the other side of the machine, grinning like some madman.

"What are you still doing here?" Ash demanded, glaring at the Pokemon. "Your friend had the better idea and _left_."

Azelf chuckled. _"You have no idea as what he says is a good idea, Ash of Pallet Town."_ He ducked down for a moment, and the scientist and Ash heard something slam. _"There. Time to go."_ The Legendary Pokemon cackled, then disappeared in the flash of a Teleport.

And then everything that could go wrong went wrong.

There was a loud, spluttering cough from the machine, and all the buttons and levers on the control panel were suddenly pressed down at once. The entire thing started to smoke and shudder before sparks stated to fly.

The scientist took a step back. "Uh oh." He looked over at Ash. "We need to get a couple mechanics now."

"You go," Ash replied shortly. "I'm going to make sure the kid is still of some use." He dashed for the smoking machine while the scientist ran in the opposite direction.

When Ash reached the machine's exit end, he peered into the smoking opening. When his red eyes didn't find the head of the girl, he cursed under his breath and jumped onto the conveyor belt -- which was still moving, although much more slowly than it was supposed to. The minionized Trainer got on his hands and knees and slipped into the exit seconds before his red eyes started to glow eerily as he looked for the girl they had sent in.

Ash ran into her almost immediately, and saw that the girl was still intact, even though there were exposed sparking wires above her and it looked like half of the braces had already been torn to shreds. Moving quickly in the smoky environment, he easily tore the remaining two braces off her wrist and waist before dragging the girl out by her arms. He managed to get out, coughing for air, just as the conveyor belt died.

Ash stumbled off the belt as two men wearing tool belts dashed in, followed by the scientist, who was looking much more nervous than usual. And behind him...

...was the Master.

Ash dropped the girl on the tile floor and stood fully upright, ignoring the mechanics who were starting to work on the machine and try to find the source of the smoke.

"What happened?" the Master demanded, looking between the scientist and Ash.

"Sabotage," the scientist replied quickly, looking terrified. "It happened right in front of our eyes."

"Explain." Master looked at Ash.

"Azelf decided to enact a bit of revenge," Ash replied stiffly. "He made himself known after the girl had been put through." He looked down at the girl lying at his feet. "He might have prevented her from conforming properly. Or at all." His red gaze returned to the Master. "You know I can remedy that."

The Master inclined his head, then looked down at the girl at Ash's feet.

"Sir!" one of the mechanics ran over and stood next to Ash, then respectfully took a step away from the teenager. "The wiring was cut and rewired in several places, and there was a strange energy signature that matched the gemstones."

The Master's eyes narrowed. "Any trace of the Pokemon?"

"None, sir."

Ash's blank face morphed into something of a meaningful look, but whatever the teen was implying was ignored.

"Take the girl to the Nurse Joy squadron," the Master ordered, looking over at Ash. "Then go out to the PokeBall Graveyard and start tracking those Pokemon you let escape."

The meaningful look morphed into a blank expression. "Understood." He reached down and grabbed the girl again before throwing her up over one shoulder.

As Ash walked out of the Chamber, the Master turned to face the scientist and the mechanics. "Disconnect the Conformer and have it scrapped. If we cannot find her, then she must come to us."

Ash's face became a sinister grin. "And she most certainly will."


	4. Psychic Surprise

"Chaos! We have to stop for a rest!"

The Mewtwo paused, then placed his foot down and looked back at the other Pokemon that were following after him. He looked down at the Electric-Type who had spoken, who did look tired.

 _"Rayquaza has already gone off his own way for a safe haven,"_ Chaos stated. _"We must keep moving if we're to remain ahead of Team Galactic."_

 _"While you speak the truth, Chaos, these Pokemon are not quite used to the pace which you force us to travel at,"_ Aurora spoke up from where she hovered next to Swamp. _"We must find a hollow or a cluster of trees to rest at before continuing in this direction."_

"We don't even know where we're going," Linoone added. "If we did, I would've run ahead like Rayquaza."

Chaos gained an annoyed expression, and he let out an annoyed sigh. _"Fine. We will find a place to rest."_ The Pokemon started to look around for an area that might provide temporary shelter.

"There!" Swamp pointed towards a clump of dark green bushes that was located nearby.

Aurora nodded, then started forward. The rest of the Pokemon followed after her, with Chaos taking up the rear guard.

The clump of dark green turned out to be a circle of stunted bushes around a shallow area that dipped down enough for Swamp to remain out of sight if he lay down. Which was what he and the rest of Khrista's team did as soon as they reached the hollow.

Chaos set himself down carefully so that he could lie on his side on one edge of the hollow so that he could look out over the edge of the bushes in the way they had come. Aurora landed on Swamp's head and kept a similar watch in a different direction.

"So, where are we going?" Vapor suddenly spoke up.

Chaos looked over in the Vaporeon's direction; the Pokemon was lying curled next to the Swampert. _"We are looking for a group of Pokemon and humans who I found some time ago. It will take some time to find their location, but I am aware that it is in this general direction."_ He motioned in the direction he had been leading the group in.

"What makes you think they'll help us?" Raichu asked. "Everybody who _doesn't_ have a Trainer from another world is going to be following that madman like a lost Poocheyna!"

"Or a Growlithe," Vapor muttered.

 _"Not everyone was so enamored after him after events on Mt. Coronet,"_ Aurora spoke up, looking in the direction of a taller, darker mountain that rose up into the dark clouds on the horizon. _"Some humans and their Pokemon managed to escape into different safe zones that were set up in case of a situation like this. If they managed to find one of the safe zones, then there may be a chance --"_

"A chance for what?"

All of the Pokemon instantly froze upon hearing the voice coming from the bushes, and they quickly scrambled to their feet in order to see where it was coming from.

"Whoa!" One of the bushes shook, and a moment later a small brown-and-white Pokemon was lifted out of the bush by a Psychic move.

Aurora flew forward, eyes narrow in suspicion while Chaos held the Eevee in place. _"Who are you, and what are you doing here?"_

"M-my name's Grace," the Eevee stammered, wide-eyed and panicked. "I was heading back from a...a scouting mission when I heard you guys talking. I got curious, okay?!"

The Pokemon exchanged glances, the members of Khrista's team frowning somewhat.

"Grace sounds familiar," Linoone muttered.

"Yeah...I think that was one of the names of the other Avatars we heard about," Swamp remarked, nodding.

One of the Eevee's ears twitched, and she blinked as she cocked her head. "Avatars? Are you guys Pokemon that belong to a Trainer?"

 _"I would suggest you tell us what is your reason for eavesdropping before you ask us any questions,"_ Chaos replied, eyes narrowing.

"Okay, okay...." Grace still looked somewhat nervous, but not as much as she had been before. "I just finished a Mystery Dungeon run when I heard you guys talking at the exit."

The Pokemon exchanged glances upon hearing this.

"Yes, we're a Trainer's Pokemon," Vapor spoke up. "At least, except for those two." He motioned with a paw towards Chaos and Aurora. "I am Vapor."

Grace gave a nod, then looked over at Chaos. "Can you let me down, now?"

The Mewtwo gave a slight frown, then a reluctant nod and slowly lowered the Eevee to the ground.

When the Psychic energy left her form, Grace shook out her fur and looked up at the Pokemon.

"You all look like trustworthy Pokemon," Grace remarked. "And, I mean, you don't see Legendaries with their natural colors around anymore." She looked up at Chaos and Aurora, who exchanged glances. "Besides, I was supposed to come back with _some_ sort of news or recruits."

_"We have news for you."_

All of the Pokemon stiffened. Chaos and Aurora looked up sharply, eyes scanning the skies for the source of the telepathic voice.

 _"Relax, Chaos,"_ said another voice. _"We're friends now. I can't say for when we last saw you...."_

_"What has passed, has passed. Do not dwell on it."_

_"If you say so, Merlin...."_

Above the hollow, two Pokemon materialized -- both mostly white with two tails, but one had a pink head, and the other had a yellow one.

Chaos' eyes widened, and he took a step back in surprise. _"Merlin? Lien?"_

 _"Greetings, Chaos,"_ the Uxie stated. _"I am glad we were able of meet under these circumstances, and not otherwise."_

"What happened?" Raichu asked, frowning. "Last time you were out here, you were with...well, _him_."

 _"Arctic decided to make her move,"_ Merlin replied.

 _"And for that, we are thankful,"_ Lien added. She started to look around. _"Merlin, where is Jewels? He promised he would meet us as soon as he was done."_

There was a flash, and a certain blue Lake Spirit materialized, grinning.

 _"It's done,"_ Jewels stated. _"We've got a free agent in there."_

 _"And the machine itself?"_ Merlin pressed.

The Azelf mimicked something exploding. _"We won't have to worry about him pulling people through anymore."_ The grin that had taken over his face suddenly faded. _"But it means White might not come through."_

 _"Her friends from her world have been brought here, most likely,"_ Lien pointed out. _"She will not wait around to help them."_

Grace's eyes widened as she looked up at the trio. "What are you talking about? And is White _really_ from our world?"

 _"She is,"_ Merlin replied with a nod. _"And as for what we speak of...let's just say that the man who has been causing us trouble may start having trouble of his own from the inside -- from our good friend known as Khrista."_

"Khrista?" Linoone repeated in surprise. "Really?" His tail started to wag furiously.

 _"Truly,"_ Lien replied. _"Spread the word in your own way. We will go in ours. There are other havens to visit and speak to."_ She looked to the other Lake Spirits and gave a nod.

A moment later, the three teleported out of sight.

Chaos frowned. _"Something strange is going on here. First Khrista sacrifices herself, now the Lake Spirits are freed...."_ He looked over at Aurora. _"Is this your doing?"_

 _"Not mine,"_ the Mew replied. _"I no longer have that kind of power, remember?"_ She looked over at Grace. _"Where is the haven that you are a part of?"_

The Eevee -- who had been looking up at where the Lake Spirits had been with wide eyes -- looked over at Aurora. After blinking for a minute, she realized what the Mew had just asked of her and broke out into a wide grin.

"This way!" Grace exclaimed, dashing out of the hollow and onto the plain. The rest of the Pokemon quickly followed, Swamp demolishing a patch of bushes on his way out.

Within minutes, the area -- other than the demolished bushes -- didn't look like it had been touched.


	5. Dreamscape

**Khrista's POV**

This is just plain freaky. One minute, I'm playing my DS, minding my own business while I'm demolishing every single Rocket grunt in sight, and the next I'm standing in some region where Cyrus has taken over -- and maybe not just there, either.

Then I get knocked out, the next thing I know I'm lying somewhere _cold_ , and then I'm knocked out again.

Now I'm stuck in a house that looks eerily like mine -- except it's _way_ too clean, the doors and windows won't open, my parents aren't here (but their bedroom door's locked) and all I can see outside is pure black.

No street lights, no moon...no lights from across the street, either. The Carlsdales usually stay up until ten -- the older ones, anyway -- and the digital clock Mom hung up in the kitchen hasn't even reached eight.

Eight. In. The. Morning.

What in heaven's name is going on here?!

I was brooding with these thoughts in my head when I heard the front door creak open. I knew it was the front door because it always creaks. So of course I jumped off the couch in the family room and dashed down the hall for the front door. As soon as I got there, though, I screeched to a halt.

You would, too, if you saw Ash Ketchum -- in the anime's Sinnoh outfit -- closing the front door behind him.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Ash turned and caught sight of me staring wide-eyed (and, admittedly, fearfully) at him. His brown eyes widened in surprise.

Wait. _Brown?!_

"His eyes were red before," I muttered under my breath, frowning at my white shoes. "Why aren't they now?"

"Did you really think I was going to take after my brother?"

I looked up at Ash in surprise, who was giving me a half-smile that didn't quite look like it was natural. What's the saying..."didn't meet his eyes"?

"Brother?" I repeated, frowning.

"You know, Red? The guy on top of Mt. Silver?" Ash walked past me and down the hall into the family room, looking around with some interest.

"Red's your _brother?"_ Well. I followed after him to make sure he didn't actually mess with anything. "I _guess_ I can see a resemblance, though. Somewhat."

"Most of the people I ran into didn't really notice." Ash collapsed on the couch I had been sitting on moments before. "And most people try to punch me first for dragging them here under orders." His voice took on a bitter tone when he finished off.

Oh, yeah. The Red Chain thing.

"Mewtwo told me," I stated, sitting down in my dad's favorite armchair. "About what happened on Mt. Coronet." I remembered a second later that Mewtwo's real name was Chaos, but Ash had already started to respond by then.

Ash's face scrunched up. "Yeah. That." His eyes narrowed at the memory, and he shook his head. "Since you already know, I'm not going to tell you from my perspective." He looked around the room again, then paused when he caught sight of something.

A minute later, he was standing next to the glass coffee table in the middle of the room and inspecting my red DS Lite.

"Is this that DS thing that those games are played on?" Ash asked, looking over at me curiously.

"Uh...yeah." I stood up myself and walked over. "I was playing Platinum before I got sent to your world."

Ash's eyes widened in interest, and he put the DS back down. "OK, so you _do_ play the Trainer games."

"Um...yeah?" I frowned. "Does this have anything to do with what's going on?" I motioned to the room around us, thinking that might be proof enough. "And why I'm back in my house but my parents aren't here?"

"You're not home," Ash replied, lifting a finger. "This is a dreamscape."

I opened my mouth. "Then what --"

"I'll get to that later. The reason you're here is more important at the moment." Ash walked back to the couch and sat down, then patted the cushion next to him. "This is going to take all night, trust me."

I gave him a weird look, then walked over to the couch and sat down so that there was a cushion between us. "So, what's going on?"

Ash let out a sigh, then took off his baseball cap and stared at it. "From what I picked up from Charon talking about his project, ever since White started her journey in Kanto, there have been random teams of Pokemon appearing all over the place. And they're usually led by a shade of some sort that looks like a basic Trainer of sorts. Some are Battle Girls, others are Ace Trainers -- you get the idea."

I nodded. So they _did_ have specific Trainer classes here. I frowned slightly when I heard the name White again, but Ash saw it before I could say anything.

"I'm getting to her," the Trainer stated, holding up a hand to keep my question at bay.

I held up my hands. "OK, fine. So what's with the ghosts?"

"Basically, these Avatars, as people have taken to calling them, are members of your world who found the games. I only found out about them when I went to Tate and Liza's Gym though, because I apparently had a large group following me." Ash shrugged.

"You mean you couldn't see them?"

Ash shook his head. "Only Psychics can, and White isn't exactly a psychic, so she didn't know about them, either. See, she's from your world, too, but she managed to actually _get_ to our planet."

I blinked. "Wait. _What?_ "

"You didn't hear about that?" Ash frowned.

I shook my head. "No. I didn't even think that she could come from our planet. How's that even possible?"

The Trainer shrugged. "Don't look at me. Charon was the one who did all the math and stuff. He was ordered to hunt down White, not me."

"Hunt her down? But isn't she already in your world?"

"Not anymore. She disappeared after everything in Sinnoh died down and Team Galactic had scattered. People thought she had gone back, so Charon started making some sort of giant portal so that he could hunt her down."

Oh. I blinked. "But how did she leave?"

"None of us know. Charon might, but he hasn't said anything about it when I'm around." Ash sighed. "Anyway, Charon got ordered to hunt down White and he ended up dragging through a large number of the Avatars instead."

He placed his hat back on his head and pulled down on the brim. "You were kind of a last-ditch effort in order to get White, but since she didn't come through, I can only hope that she's not in her home. Maybe she'll hear about the disappearing kids and come and rescue everybody."

I blinked. "Wow. All this for some girl who might be living in my neighborhood? Cyrus is _insane."_

Ash flinched. "Don't say his name, whatever you do," he warned darkly. "He did some sort of voodoo so that _nobody_ can say it."

I frowned. "Well, I just did, didn't I?"

"Which only confirms what I already figured out." Ash pointed at me. "You didn't get conformed like the other kids."

"What?"

"Uh....Brainwashed."

I was instantly on the alert. " _Brainwashed?_ Was that what was going on when we passed those kids in the hallway before I got knocked out?"

"Sorta." Ash looked a little nervous and started to rub the back of his neck. "See, there's this machine that was found and put back together the way...well, the way _he_ wanted. First kid that came through --" Ash made a swooshing noise as his arm shot forward. "Into the machine he goes. He came out the other end with the same blank look I've been giving everybody else." Ash gained a concerned look. "Pretty much everybody's ended up like that, even when they fought back against getting strapped down. I would have thought that half of them would have had a chance, but...." He shook his head again.

This was starting to sound like it was part of some sort of horror show or something. I gained a disgusted look.

"These guys are _sick,"_ I declared. "If only I could wring Charon's neck."

"Believe me, I've been trying."

I looked at Ash in surprise. "You? How? You've got that --" I paused, considering whether I should say the name of the device that had Ash under Cyrus' control.

"Yeah." Ash's face scrunched up in anger, but then a sinister grin snuck over his face. "But the thing is, the Red Chain wasn't exactly made to control humans."

"Well, yeah, they were going after Dialga and Palkia, but --"

"I mean, it _never_ was." Ash looked me straight in the eye. "And it's because of that that I can jump into other people's heads at night and talk to them...or give them nightmares." His grin strengthened, and this time it _did_ reach his eyes.

"You've sound like you've done it before," I noted.

"Eh. On and off. But definitely enough to make them look at me like I'm Darkrai spawn or something. He's going to be bothering _him_ now, though, so hopefully that might do something. That's not the only thing I can do, though." Ash's smile faded to a half-smile.

"Oh?"

"If I can build up enough emotion, I can break loose for a minute and give people a piece of my mind -- and I mean _really_ , since I've only been able to make snarky comments when I've been spoken to."

Whoa. "I bet they think you're more volatile that way."

"Probably." Ash got up from the couch. "It's technically almost dawn. I'm going to have to head back before someone comes in and yells at me to wake up."

That was abrupt. But -- "How can you tell?"

"I have my ways." Ash turned and started down the hall towards the front door -- which, I guess, means that it's his exit back to his own place.

Wait. "Hey -- you didn't explain about that dreamscape thing!"

Ash paused at the door, his eyes widening, and he slapped himself in the forehead. "Right! I completely forgot about that." Looking over at me, he stated, "A dreamscape is basically a place that represents your mind. For some reason, though, you Avatars didn't really know they existed."

"Um...I think that may be because we usually don't remember what we dream."

"Well, that's going to change." Ash opened up my front door and started to step out into the black void. "Because these dreamscapes aren't going to leave you alone here." With that abrupt statement, he fully stepped out of the house and closed the front door behind him.

What felt like seconds later, a loud beeping noise filled the house and gave me a pounding headache. The house started to go out of focus.

I realized that I was about to wake up.


	6. New Living Quarters

Khrista's eyes snapped open with a flash of annoyance in them as the loud beeping pounded right into her left ear. She reacted by moving her left arm in order to find the source of the beeping, but found that she couldn't move it. The same went for the rest of her except for her head, which she promptly turned so that she could glare at the source of the beeping -- which turned out to be just a speaker, unfortunately.

Fortunately, as soon as Khrista started to glare at it, the beeping stopped, and the room she was in became filled with blessed silence.

At least, until another voice spoke up.

"Good, you're awake."

Khrista turned her head again, and caught sight of a small man with blue hair and glasses standing not too far in front of her and the steel slab she was strapped to. But it wasn't him that got most of her attention -- it was the woman with purple hair and a short black nurse dress. She looked like a Goth version of a Nurse Joy.

"I was starting to wonder if I was just keeping an eye on some dead kid," the woman stated, sounding bored.

It scared Khrista out of her wits, and her eyes widened.

The man with the glasses -- Charon, Khrista remembered now -- shook his head at the woman's statement. "Really, dearie. You should remember that she came through without a single conforming effect. And I doubt that she is mute." He turned to look directly at Khrista. "How about we let her loose and see if she can do anything, eh?"

Khrista blinked in confusion. _Do anything? What's_ that _supposed to mean?_

The Goth Joy scoffed. "The kid'll probably try to kill you as soon as I let her loose."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too worried." Charon motioned to something that was on the other side of the alarm speaker, then snapped his fingers.

As the Goth Joy moved to another area of the steel-gray room, another figure stepped out of a shadowy corner and stood stiffly next to Charon, who grinned at Khrista while her eyes widened even further in shock.

"Do you like him?" Charon asked, not bothering to look over at the tall, brown-haired teenage boy standing next to him with a slightly serious face. "He was the first one who came through, and probably the least intelligent, but he has still followed me around like my own personal bodyguard." The grin became crooked. "At least he knows someone important when he sees them."

Khrista couldn't believe her eyes -- or the fact that she was staring into the blue ones of a neighbor she almost considered a brother.

 _Matthew Carlsdale...._ Khrista swallowed. _Oh, man._

There was a creaking noise, and the straps that had been holding Khrista in place opened with a _snap._ She slid off the slab and rubbed her wrists just to make sure that she actually had circulation going through them. She watched the seventeen-year-old and the scientist warily, hoping that they wouldn't try and attack _her._

"Looks like she's a Gentle Nature," Charon noted, pulling a clipboard out of nowhere and wrote something down. "Or maybe Cautious or Timid." He looked up at Matthew. "Do you know her, boy?"

"Yes," Matthew replied.

Khrista shuddered upon hearing his flat voice. And there was something about why Charon was asking that.

"Is she White?"

"No." The answer came right on the heels of the question.

Charon frowned. "Then what is her name?"

Matthew blinked. "I don't remember."

Charon's frown became so vigorous that his face scrunched up, and he let out a low growl of annoyance.

Khrista backed up a step, her back hitting against the steel slab she had been attached to a moment before.

Whatever Charon wanted to get out of Matthew, he definitely wasn't going to get it, and she was getting the feeling that he was going to use it for sinister purposes if he ever did.

Charon turned his attention away from Matthew and gave Khrista what was probably supposed to be a reassuring smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "There, you see? All of them act the same. They don't remember their own names, they don't have very much personality, but they do make very good bodyguards and listeners. I have high hopes that you will be joining them soon."

Khrista swallowed nervously again, then tried to steel herself as Charon went back to writing on his clipboard. _Come on, it's not like Matthew can snap your neck or anything. He didn't even break bones in other football players by accident._

Clenching her fists, Khrista stated in a bold voice, "Listen, Knucklehead, I'm not planning on getting turned into one of your goonies."

Charon looked up in surprise. A smile crossed his face. "Ah, she speaks! I was starting to wonder." He blinked, then frowned. "What did you call me?"

Khrista did her best to keep up her bold appearance, but she felt that it was sating to fade fast. "What makes you care?"

"I wouldn't talk to our head scientist like that, kid," Goth Joy sneered, coming back to stand next to Charon. "He can do nasty things to you if he doesn't get what he wants."

"Don't flatter me," the Galactic scientist replied, although he did look very pleased with himself.

Khrista almost completely lost her composure then, and she swallowed again and looked over at Matthew, who stared blankly at the wall in front of him.

This was definitely _not_ a good day.

"However, before I can do anything, I would have to check up with the head of Team Neo-Galactic," Charon spoke again, getting Khrista's attention as he looked over at the woman. "You know what he would say if I didn't."

Goth Joy looked a little nervous. "Right."

 _Are they talking about Cyrus?_ Khrista wondered.

Charon returned his attention to Khrista. "Now, considering our present situation with the girl, we'll have to hold off on using her to find White until we have more control over her."

 _Now_ Khrista was starting to get irritated. "I'm right here, you know." Under her breath, she added, "Knucklehead."

She had picked up the nickname from a different TV show, and figured it fit this guy fit the name better than the original receiver.

"I know, but you don't warrant my attention until you're more on our side," Charon replied, looking down at his clipboard again. "And judging from the name-calling, I would think that you're not."

Khrista snorted, but shrank back when the Goth Joy took a step forward. The woman took a step back, then, smirking, and Khrista realized that the nurse had tried to intimidate her -- and that it had worked.

"Definitely not a Clear Body type," Charon muttered, scribbling something on his clipboard.

Khrista blinked, then frowned. _Wait. Is he trying to_ place _me as a_ Pokemon _?_

She cautiously took a step forward, only to pause when Matthew's attention suddenly moved from the wall behind Khrista to the girl herself.

"Matthew, do you know of anyone who presently does not have a roommate?" Charon inquired as he finished his writing with a flourish.

"One empty room. Subject J-4 is alone." Matthew never took his eyes off Khrista as he spoke.

"J-4?" Charon looked up at the boy. "He has been complacent, although pairing him with someone in a similar situation could cause problems." He looked at Matthew for a moment longer as though expecting him to reply (which he didn't). Charon then looked over at Khrista. "Grab the girl. We'll take her to the empty room and leave her there for now."

Matthew stepped forward and grabbed Khrista's right arm before dragging her forward. The girl let out a yelp as she nearly lost her footing as Matthew followed the scientist out of the room.

Khrista looked around in confusion as she stumbled out into the hall, looking around in blank confusion at the blank white corridor. _How can these guys tell the walls from the floor and ceiling?_

Despite the blank corridors, Charon seemed to know his way around the place rather well. He led Matthew -- who walked like he was some sort of robot -- through the halls and over two warp panels before stopping in front of one of multiple steel doors that lined a dead-end corridor with four warp panels in four different colors on either end of the hall.

Charon opened the door and pushed if open, revealing a steel gray room with two bunk bed against the side walls. On the back wall was what looked like a sink and a toilet, but that was it.

Matthew released Khrista's arm and pushed her into the room; the girl let out a yelp of surprise and stumbled forward a couple steps before regaining her balance and turning around to look at the two figures.

"You will be seeing us soon," Charon said with a grin. A moment later, the steel door slammed shut.

Khrista remained staring at the cell door for a moment longer, then turned around and started looking around at the room itself. She started straight for the all at the back and ran her hand over it.

Cold metal. No cracks. It was the same on the other walls -- at least, the parts of the walls she could get to. And even if she could slide her hands behind the bunk beds, there probably wouldn't be any cracks there, either.

Khrista let out an irritated sigh as she moved to the center of the room and put her hands on her hips. "Great. Looks like I won't be able to dig out or anything. Or find some sort of secret passage...." She shook her head, then looked over at one of the bunk bed sets. A moment later, she was climbing to the upper bunk and lying down on the hard mattress.

"Guess I don't really have anything better to do than sleep," she muttered, turning on her side. "I just hope that it won't mess with me."

**Spacial Break**

Charon cautiously stepped off the warp panel and stood next to it, watching as the taller, also blue-haired figure looked up from something on his desk.

"Well?" the man asked calmly.

"She isn't conformed, as was predicted," Charon replied. "However, she is much more nervous than what I had originally expected her to be, considering who exactly we are."

"Is there any chance --"

"That she will conform on her own? Perhaps. However, I wouldn't count on it, considering that she seems to have picked up a few things." Charon paused. "Possibly from White herself."

"Explain."

"They're nicknames," Charon stated quickly. "One is centered on me, the other on you. She referred to me as 'Knucklehead' not long after she had awoken, and according to Ash said she had called you --"

"I know. He told me, as well." The man got to his feet. "Where is she now?"

"Solitary confinement. It was better than putting her with J-4."

The taller figure paused before giving a slight nod of approval. "Good. Leave here there for now. Watch the security cameras and alert me to a time when I may see her myself."

Charon blinked, then gave a nod. "Of course." He gave the man what might have passed as a curious look. "Is there anything else?"

"No. I will inform you if I have need of you."

As Charon stepped out of the office via the warp panel, the man looked out the newly repaired window as he considered what had occurred.

A child who knew two nicknames was not something to be worried about. It was how she came across them that was another matter....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Matthew is Maria's older brother, which means that Khrista and Maria are a part of the same universe.
> 
> As for what Charon was doing, trying to figure out Khrista, and who "J-4" is, well. You'll find out soon enough.


	7. The Underground, part 1

Chaos was starting to get anxious. Grace had been leading them along the empty plains that used to be the route between Twinleaf and Sandgem, and they still had yet to find what she had called the entrance of "the Underground." Where that was -- or what kind of haven it was -- had yet to be seen.

 _"How long before we arrive at this destination of yours, Grace?"_ the Mewtwo asked the Eevee trotting ahead of the group. _"The plains are not a place I would recommend staying out on for long."_

"Don't worry," Grace called back as she glanced over a furry collar. "It's not much further." Looking ahead of her, the Pokemon added, "In fact, it should be over this next hill."

The Pokemon quickly climbed the rise Grace had mentioned, then paused when they reached the top to look down at where they were going. Below, in a dull, flaking state, was a familiar red roof of a Pokemon Center, sitting among the remains of what had been a couple houses and a small grove of trees.

"A Pokemon Center?" Linoone asked, cocking his head.

"Not just any Pokemon Center," Swamp rumbled. "That's Sandgem's Pokemon Center." He looked over at Chaos. "How is it that it's still standing?"

 _"...I do not know,"_ Chaos replied. _"All of the Nurse Joys were rounded up after the...events of Mt. Coronet and Cyrus's erection of his lair. He may have left this one standing because he forgot to remove it."_

 _"It isn't possible for him to forget,"_ Aurora spoke up. The Mew flew up from where she had been hiding on Swamp's back and hovered next to the Mewtwo's shoulder. _"Not after those events. He knows the locations of spacially cemented solids like buildings. I doubt he would have missed this one."_

"He's been ignoring this one," Grace replied without looking back at the two Legendaries. "Either that, or his goons have been making excuses because the place is haunted by Ghost-Types."

Linoone, Vapor, and Raichu exchanged glances upon hearing this, while Swamp's gaze turned into a frown as he looked down at the Pokemon Center.

"Those Ghost-Types must be strong in order to hold their own against them," the Swampert noted. "We may have a problem reaching this entrance you spoke of."

Grace shook her head quietly, then took off down the hill at a decent trot.

"Hey, kid!" Vapor yelled after her. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Going to the entrance," Grace called back. "Come on!"

The group of Pokemon looked at each other upon hearing the Eevee's calm statement.

"That kid is going to get herself in trouble running into a crowd of Ghost-Types like that," Vapor muttered, his mermaid-tail twitching in annoyance. He started forward. "I'm going to go after her."

"I will, too," Linoone spoke up. "I may only know Normal and Fighting-Type attacks, but that Eevee might want a Pokemon to protect her from Dark or Poison attacks." He followed after the Vaporeon, quickly catching up with him.

 _"Those two are going to get into trouble,"_ Chaos noted with a shake of his head.

"It's not them that should be worried about," Swamp replied. He gave Raichu a pointed look, and the Electric Pokemon shrugged helplessly with a sheepish look on her face.

 _"All the same, it would be best if we stayed together,"_ Aurora replied. The Mew then started forward and the other Pokemon -- after exchanging their own wary glances -- followed after the small Legendary.

When they reached the entrance of the Pokemon Center, the group found that the glass doors had been kicked in and taken a long time ago, and Grace was standing on top of the counter while Vapor and Linoone were standing in front of it, looking around warily for anyone that might try to sneak up on them.

And relaxing on an old machine that had been used by Nurse Joys countless times to restore a Pokemon team's health was a Gengar.

"See?" Grace motioned with a paw towards the Pokemon that were cautiously filing through the entrance. "I'm not lying. I found Chaos and Aurora. _Now_ can you open the trapdoor?"

The mischievous-looking Ghost/Poison-Type glanced over at the Pokemon that had come in, and it's eyes widened. The lazy Cheshire-cat grin that had been on its face turned into a look that clearly spoke of fear and surprise. The Gengar quickly scrambled to his feet, looking from Pokemon to Pokemon as though it wasn't believing its eyes.

"This has _got_ to be some illusion," the Gengar muttered.

 _"This is_ not _an illusion,"_ Aurora replied.

 _"We are here, in the flesh,"_ Chaos added. _"And we have news to give to those you may be giving shelter to."_

The Gengar looked somewhat uncertain. "How is it that they haven't found you yet?"

 _"Where do you think the Jhoto trio has been hiding?"_ came Chaos' reply. The Mew next to him gave the Mewtwo a warning look, but it was ignored. _"We only came down when another was called through. We have news that she is the last one through."_

The Gengar suddenly became alert. "It isn't --"

"No, it's not," Swamp spoke up. "She never came through."

The Gengar let out a sigh of relief -- which was surprising for a Ghost-Type -- and collapsed on top of the machine again. "Good. I'd be terrified if they actually managed to catch my Trainer like I've been hearing for the others."

" _Your_ Trainer?" Raichu repeated in surprise. She took a few steps forward. "Are you saying that White is _your_ Trainer?"

"Yeah." The Gengar jumped off the machine and landed in front of the Electric-Type. "You want to make something of it, mouse?"

Raichu took a step back, paws up in surrender. "No."

The Gengar took a step back. "Good." He looked up at Chaos. "I wasn't on the team when she went after you in the Unknown Dungeon, but she mentioned you a couple times."

 _"I'm afraid that I cannot say the same,"_ Chaos replied, looking down at the Pokemon. _"What did she call you?"_

"I was traded over when a kid didn't really want to work with Ghost-Types anymore. He didn't call me anything, but White ignored that and called me Geetz."

The Gengar motioned for the group to follow him, then turned and started walking down a hallway that was lit only by a flickering LED light that looked like it was about to go out at any minute. The rest of the group followed after him, Grace leading the way.

"You mentioned a trapdoor," Swamp remarked, looking down at the Eevee in front of them.

One of Grace's ears twitched. "Yeah. It's the only way down to the Underground form here. Geetz and his clan of Haunter and Ghastly have been keeping nosy people away if they've got the Goon symbol on their chest."

"Goon?" Raichu blinked.

"You know," Linoone replied. "Galactic?"

"'Goon' is a nickname White coined back in the beginning," Vapor explained. "I remember hearing about it from other Trainers after it happened."

"Exactly," Geetz called back.

The group reached the end of the hall, which quickly opened up into a dim room that looked like it had once been a place to store medicines and food supplies. Only now, the only thing that sat in the room was a wooden trap door in the center of the floor.

Geetz turned and looked at the group. "OK. Normally, I'd stick my head through and let the guard know somebody's back, but I think this time someone should try and open it up. Who's strong enough?"

Vapor, Linoone, and Raichu looked at each other before looking up at Swamp, who eyed the smaller Pokemon indifferently before letting out an annoyed sigh.

"Very well." The Swampert started forward, then gripped the iron ring that lay on top of the trap door. He started to lift it, but it didn't come up far enough for even Grace to fit through the thin opening. However, it was wide enough for an annoyed -- or alarmed -- voice to come through.

"Who's there?" a teenage boy's voice demanded. "Name yourselves, or I'll sic my Crobat on you!"

"It's me, Grace!" Grace replied, bounding over to the opening. She didn't notice that the two Legendaries -- or the four regular Pokemon for that matter -- had surprised looks on their faces.

"I'm back from scouting in a Mystery Dungeon, and I've brought a few new Pokemon!" Grace continued.

"New Pokemon? Are you sure they can be trusted?"

Before Grace could respond to this, Chaos stepped forward and said something himself.

_"Brock? Is that you?"_

The trapdoor, which Swamp had stopped pulling on, was thrown back into a vertical position with a _bang_ , revealing the young, dark-skinned teenager from Pewter City.

"Mewtwo? Mew?" the former Rock-Type Gym Leader asked, shocked.

 _"Hello, Brock,"_ Aurora greeted. _"We haven't seen you in some time."_

The Trainer looked a little flabbergasted upon seeing the group of Pokemon around him. "What are you doing here? How did --"

 _"Grace led us here when she saw us taking a short rest out on the plains,"_ Chaos replied. _"We bring news from the outside, and hopefully another from our group is going to learn of events soon, as well. Especially considering who we met on the way here."_ He looked over at Aurora, who nodded in agreement.

Brock frowned, quickly regaining his composure. "What do you mean? What's going on?"

"The Lake Spirits were set loose by Arctic," Vapor spoke up. "I think they have something in mind that may take the goons down."

That _definitely_ got Brock's attention. He stood even more upright, looking determined. "You're going to have to explain that in more detail." Seeing Linoone open his mouth, he added, "Not here. Follow me."

An instant later, Brock had disappeared from sight, startling most of the Pokemon.

"Relax," Geetz stated, turning to look at the group. "There's a slide below the trapdoor that he used to get to the Underground. It's big enough for the marsh monster over there, too."

Grace nodded. "Yup! It's really fun to slide down, too!" She bounded over to the hole in the PokeCenter floor and dove into it, letting out a squeal of delight that faded away quickly as the distance grew between her and the other Pokemon.

"I wouldn't worry _too_ much about what's at the bottom," the Gengar added. He gave a Cheshire Cat grin, then faded from sight.

As soon as Geetz was gone, Raichu grinned, then started bounding forward for the trapdoor.

"Wait!" Swamp ordered. His voice brought the little Electric Mouse to a stop at the edge of the hole, and she turned around to look at him. "I can't help but feel concerned about this. There are many things that could be waiting for us down there."

"You saw Brock with your own eyes!" Raichu argued. "It's _got_ to be safe! He's been missing since before Mt. Coronet!"

"That could mean anything and you know it." Swamp turned his attention to Chaos and Aurora. "What do you two think?"

The two Legendaries looked at each other, considering what could be said about the events that had unfolded in front of them.

 _"Something about these events bodes of things I learned during my own journeys,"_ Chaos finally stated.

Aurora nodded in agreement. _"Indeed. I believe that I can trust Brock, Grace, and Geetz."_ She looked at Khrista's four Pokemon. _"Judge for yourselves if you wish, but I am going to follow after them."_ Without another word, she turned and flew down the hole.

Even before Chaos could follow after the Mew, Raichu bounded forward and dove into the hole, yelling, "Cannonball!"

Linoone and Vapor followed after the Electric-Type as Chaos reached the edge of the hole. The Psychic-Type end up pausing there and looking over at Swamp, who had been eyeing the hole with a curious expression.

Seeing that Chaos was looking at him, Swamp stated, "Go ahead. I'll follow after you and close the trapdoor."

The Mewtwo paused, then gave a nod and stepped into the hole. Instantly, he came into contact with a slide that was made out of slick, dark rock that was was neither too steep nor too level. Within a minute or so, the Pokemon was at the base of the slide, which opened up so that he could sit up and step off without flying out and hitting whoever happened to be nearby.

When Chaos had walked a few steps away from the base of the slide, he paused and took a look around as Swamp slid out of the slide on his belly and hit the ground.

The area looked like a large, hollowed-out cave that was surprisingly well-lit -- how, the Pokemon couldn't exactly tell. Where he stood, it looked like the area had been tamped down repeatedly by Pokemon feet, and fading white lines were painted in the dirt and rock -- sparring fields, most likely. Then, even further back, buildings of human and Pokemon make were mixed together in a glorified town.

Of course, it wasn't the landmarks so much as the people who were standing near he exit of the slide that received most of Chaos' attention.

 _"Professor,"_ Chaos said, inclining his head as his blue eyes locked with those of an old man who had an old Dragonite by his side. _"I did not expect to see you here."_

"And I didn't expect to see you," Professor Oak replied from where he stood next to Brock. The old man looked ragged, but there was still a fire in his eyes. "We have a lot to talk about -- all of you." He looked over the group of Pokemon that had come down the slide.

 _"As do we,"_ Chaos replied. _"Is there a place where we can speak?"_

"Here is as good a place as any." The Pokemon Professor motioned to the trampled sparring fields. "So few come out here anymore."

"Except for my sister and I!" Grace suddenly spoke up, looking up at the Legendary. "She's been trying to show me stuff so I can get used to being an Eevee more."

Aurora frowned. _"What?"_ She flew down to Grace's eye level and moved around the Normal-Type curiously. _"Are you saying that you were not an Eevee before?"_

Grace shook her head. "No. I --"

"We can discuss that later," Oak interrupted somewhat gruffly. "Brock said you mentioned something about the Lake Trio being free? Could you elaborate on that?"

"They said that Arctic had taken care of that," Raichu piped up eagerly. "And that our Trainer still had her free will."

 _"Their Trainer is Khrista, not White,"_ Aurora stated quickly, seeing the looks that the Electric Mouse was getting after her statement. _"They also reported that the machine was destroyed, so Cyrus will not be bringing anyone else through."_

 _"I believe White will still follow through to find those who have come here,"_ Chaos added, head high. _"She will find the Avatars."_

"We'll have to see," Oak replied, frowning. "What of Giratina?"

"You can thank Khrista's Rayquaza for that," Swamp replied. He had been rubbing the dust off his stomach and was now looking at the two humans in front of him. "He left for another haven that he knew of to tell others that Giratina was no longer a threat."

Oak and Brock looked at each other upon hearing this, then looked back at the Pokemon.

"While that is informative, I'm afraid that we don't have much use for information like that at this point," Oak stated finally. "However, there are a lot of Pokemon around here who may think otherwise. If your news gains enough attention, it may be able to get Birch out of his funk and actually into a useful mood."

"The Professor's in a funk?" Linoone repeated. He sounded somewhat concerned. "Not good. Not good." He brightened a moment later. "I know! I'll find some of my kin! He always listened to us!" Without another word, the Normal-Type took off into the village. A cloud of dust rose up behind him, but it quickly dissipated.

"I think I'll find my sister," Grace stated, her tail wagging. "Eliza's gotta know that White may be someone we know from home!" She dashed off in the same direction as Linoone had gone.

Aurora and the others watched the Eevee go. The Mew then turned to look at Oak and stated bluntly, _"She used to be a human, didn't she?"_

"It appears to be so," the Professor replied. "The transportation from her own world to here must have caused her to transform, and I consider ourselves lucky that Eliza managed to find her and then find us before... _they_ did. She's spent most of her days with a Pokemon named Glacier when she isn't on missions or training."

Vapor perked up as soon as he heard that. "Glacier??" He looked over at the village before taking off, calling, "Glacier! Where are you?!"

Swamp turned to look at Oak. "At least somebody's got a happy ending down here," he muttered. "I'd better follow him before he does something stupid." He looked down at Raichu. "And you're sticking with me so that you don't do anything, either."

Raichu's lightning-tail dropped to the ground, and her ears sagged in disappointment. "Aww...." She followed after the Swampert as he lumbered off to the buildings.

 _"I think we will stay here,"_ Chaos stated, looking over at Aurora. _"I have much to speak to Professor Oak about."_

 _"As do I,"_ Aurora agreed. _"Especially considering your present situation."_

"The other Professors are probably going to want to hear this," Oak remarked. He motioned for the Pokemon to follow him, then turned and started walking. Chaos, Aurora, the Dragonite, and Brock followed after him.


	8. Tests

Khrista -- who wasn't able to sleep and had taken to doing different stretching exercises in her cell -- paused in the middle of a runner's position when a loud pounding noise resounded on the steel door. She quickly scrambled to her feet as it opened, revealing Charon and a blond-haired woman in what looked like a black Galactic uniform.

"Time to test your physical strengths," Charon stated, grinning. He stepped aside, allowing the woman to step into the cell and grab Khrista by the arm.

The woman gained a disgusted look when her hand grabbed Khrista's arm. "What have you been _doing_ in here, kid?"

Khrista's startled face soured upon hearing the woman's voice. She sounded oddly familiar....

"Can't a girl be left to stretch out in peace?" Khrista grumbled. She tried to shake off the woman's grip, but it tightened instead.

"You're coming along whether you like it or not," the woman muttered.

She dragged Khrista out of her cell, then watched as Charon closed the door behind her and started down the hall. The two girls followed after him -- the younger of the two looking just as disgruntled as she was curious at where they were going.

Khrista didn't even bother to keep track of the turns and warp panels they went over before she found herself in what looked like a gym-workout place of sorts. There were a couple humans -- wearing the Galactic uniform, Khrista duly noted -- doing something with barbells in one corner of the gym, which was taken up on one half of the room with what looked like a giant track.

However, no Pokemon were anywhere in sight.

Khrista scowled and tried to slip her arm out of the woman's grip. This time, she managed to succeed, and she crossed her arms over her chest as she looked around.

"What are you going to try to have me do?" she asked, looking over at Charon with what she hoped was an annoyed look. "Because whatever it is, I won't do it."

"Such false bravado," Charon remarked, seeing right through Khrista's charade. "I did not expect that from you." While the girl deflated and looked downright tired and nervous at whatever it was the scientist had planned, he continued, "We are going to send you through a series of tests to see how physically fit you are."

Khrista frowned, then gave the room another look around. It didn't look like much of a place for physical tests....

"Direct her towards the track," Charon stated, turning to look at the blond woman. "I want to see how well she runs. If we are going to be using any of them in the field, she is going to need to be able to keep up with some of the fastest Pokemon have."

Khrista was nudged forward by the woman from behind, and as she stumbled forward a couple steps, she scowled and asked snarkily, "Do you mean like Giratina?"

There was a loud _smack_ as Khrista's head was hit forward with a hand across the back of her head.

She turned in order to look at the blond woman who was standing behind her, and when Khrista caught sight of the strange fire in the woman's eyes, she knew who it was.

Cassidy of Team Rocket. Well, this place was certainly full of surprises.

"You utter that name again, and you're dead," Cassidy hissed.

"Leave her be," Charon replied. He had pulled out a clipboard again and wasn't looking up from something he was writing. "The child will learn eventually."

"Boss, she's pulled enough stunts to win her indefinite time in the Box -- J-4 didn't --"

"Does it look like I care?" Charon asked coldly.

Cassidy shut up.

A moment later, Khrista found herself nudged forward again, and she grudgingly complied, not even bothering to reach up and try to nurse her newfound headache.

As soon as Khrista reached the track, she turned and looked back at Cassidy -- who was standing a few feet away from her -- and Charon, who hadn't looked up from his clipboard yet.

"Now what, Knucklehead?" Khrista called, falling into an old habit from when she played the video games with her neighbors.

Charon looked up and frowned severely at Khrista, pushing the spectacles on his nose further up. "You are going to run until you drop or until I say so."

Cassidy gave a rather dry smirk and gave Charon a nod before moving her gaze to Khrista and crossing her arms over her chest, a snide look coming over her face.

Khrista sent a glare in Cassidy's direction, but when the Rocket took a step forward suddenly in an intimidating stance, Khrista's eyes widened and she took a step back reflexively.

"Okay, okay," Khrista muttered. Turning, she started to jog along the track, hoping to save her energy for as long as possible. She was loose thanks to stretching in her cell, but that had eaten up some of her energy already.

At this point, she hoped that Charon would order her to stop before she dropped.

Khrista had managed to make it three quarters around the track and was starting to tire when she heard Charon yell out, "Faster!"

Khrista did her best to roll her eyes as she casually turned the corner in the track, but she didn't pick up any speed as she finished off the first lap.

"Kid, I'd listen to him if I were you," Cassidy spoke up as Khrista passed her. Was that _fear_ on the woman's face? "You've done more than enough to make him mad here. Just get it over with."

"What exactly could that old man do to me?" Khrista asked, slowing down a little bit as she talked. The answer was something that she wanted to hear.

"It's not what _he_ can do, but what he'll order his bodyguard to do. They're completely merciless."

Khrista stumbled a little when she heard Cassidy's statement, looking back at the Rocket in surprise. The woman had a grim look on her face but it soon faded into an indifferent expression that left Khrista completely confused.

However, the idea that someone like Matthew would get called in if she didn't go a little faster was as ridiculous as it was terrifying. Khrista returned her gaze to the track in front of her and started to pick up her speed. The thought that Matthew might come in out of nowhere was not something Khrista was looking forward to.

When Khrista had gotten up to a full-blown run after Charon had shouted "Faster!" two more times, the idea of a second wind suddenly became true for her. Energy seemed to flow in from out of _nowhere,_ allowing Khrista to keep up her pace.

However, it didn't last long. Khrista managed to complete another lap at this speed before collapsing at Cassidy's feet, gasping for breath and relieved that she was getting at least some sort of rest.

Charon walked into Khrista's line of vision, writing something on his clipboard while muttering, "Not very fit for a Trainer." He looked down at Khrista with a cold expression. "Get up. We're not done with you yet."

Cassidy reached down and grabbed Khrista by the back of her shirt, lifting her up somewhat before grabbing a hold of her arms and hauling her up to her feet.

"Just give me a breather, all right?" Khrista demanded, panting. "I'm not used to running that fast."

Under her breath, she added, "Knucklehead."

Charon's eyes narrowed as he glared up at Khrista -- even though the man was small, he still looked somewhat dangerous. After a moment, though, he turned and started over to the other side of the gym. Cassidy followed after him, still holding onto Khrista -- but only by one arm.

As soon as Khrista saw the barbells that Charon was heading towards, she let out a groan.

"Let me faint here and now," Khrista muttered.

**Time Break -- change in POV**

When the physical trials were over, the girl's body was glistening with sweat, the girl herself panting from exhaustion, feeling like she could collapse at any moment. Charon watched her out of the corner of his eye, recording the results on his clipboard.

A moment later, there was a soft _thump_ , causing the scientist to look up and see that his subject had collapsed on the ground and was _snoring._

The old scientist shook his head in disappointment. "Wake her up," he told Cassidy. "We aren't done here."

The ex-Rocket grunt moved over to the girl's side and shook her gently, murmuring, "Wake up."

When the subject didn't stir, the blond-haired woman tried a different approach: she slapped the teen in the face.

The girl reacted instantly, her eyes snapping open as she flipped over onto her back and scrambled away from Cassidy and Charon. The slightly panicked expression that showed on her face quickly faded into one of disappointment as she looked around. Her body relaxed a little, and she started to get to her feet.

"If you're planning on making me do anything else --" the girl started.

"I already have all the data I need for your physical abilities," Charon cut her off abruptly. "Next will come your knowledge of Pokemon and our world as you once knew it."

The girl blinked, a blank expression coming over her face. It soon changed into a confused one, though, and the girl frowned.

Charon ignored the girl's facial expressions and snapped her fingers. Cassidy instantly latched onto the girl, who simply glared up in annoyance, but didn't fight back to break free. Charon then turned and started for a set of double doors near him, Cassidy and the subject following.

The old man decided that he really needed a name for the girl, be it a letter and a number or some sort of nickname.

Charon threw the doors open and stalked into the hall beyond it, Cassidy following behind him. He could hear _something_ being muttered -- most likely from the girl. That child had already broken _so_ many regulations that he was considering giving her own personal Box to sit in, much like J-4.

The old scientist quickly put the thought out of his mind. There were other things that needed to be taken care of before he could turn his attention to the girl and the needed disciplinary measures.

He stopped in front of a steel door with a red R emblazoned on it and turned around to look at Cassidy and the girl. "In here."

He placed his hand on the handle and threw the door open, revealing a map of Kanto and Jhoto glowing brightly on the back wall. The other walls had different multiple-choice questions.

The girl peered through the doorway, blinking in increasing confusion before looking over at Charon.

"Go in there and answer the questions," Charon stated, bored. He waved his clipboard in the direction of the door, and Cassidy pushed the girl through. The subject let out a yelp that became muffled as the door was closed behind her.

"Why not go in after her, Boss?" Cassidy asked, motioning to the door.

"I don't think I need to," Charon replied. "Give the child a few minutes, and then we'll check on her progress."

**Change in POV -- Khrista**

I glared at the door and let out a low growl of frustration. These guys just weren't giving me a break, were they? If they were going to do this every day, I was probably going to fall apart by day five!

But...time does feel kind of wonky, here. As I turned to look at the giant map that _clearly_ looked like it had been copied from HeartGold and SoulSilver, I realized that it felt like I was moving quickly _and_ slowly at the same time -- almost like there were multiple streams of time moving at once or something.

I decided to try and ignore it, and instead see what exactly it was that these morons wanted me to do in here.

The map had blank spots all over the place, and there was a large keyboard on the wall and directly below the map. Geography test. Ok.

The other two walls had what looked like multiple choice questions, but one side was marked with "Rocket Activities" and the other side had "White's Movements."

There's that name again. White.

That's the girl Trainer from Unova, though -- Crystal's in Jhoto, isn't she? And wasn't Green -- or Leaf -- the girl from Kanto?

Why is Cyrus so obsessed with _this_ kid?

That's when I noticed a subtitle underneath the title on White's side of the room.

"Answer according to what you know from the events in your world. If you don't know, guess."

A quick scan of the room tells me that I can't see the ceiling, but I don't see any of those red lights that usually means a security camera's nearby -- at least, that's how it is in the movies.

They must be monitoring the screens instead for answers.

But...they won't know whether I'm telling the truth or not.

A grin spread across my face, and I'm sure that my blue eyes gained a sinister expression as I started for the map.

I would let them know I knew _some_ stuff, but the rest....

This was gonna be fun.

The map was first -- I knew that right off the bat. I could name off the cities, even if I hadn't played the games, because they were shown in the anime and the manga (the latter of which I'd been keeping up with thanks to a neighbor). I started typing names in and filled up the Kanto/Jhoto combined map. When that was full, I turned to look at the Rocket Activity quiz.

First question: What mountain were Team Rocket grunts stationed in?

 **A.** Coronet

 **B.** Moon

 **C.** Twist Mountain

 **D.** None of the above

Sheesh, is this easy.

I hit "B" and moved on.

The remaining questions were a lot like that -- they asked where Rocket grunts were and what exactly they were doing in certain areas. I hit all the right answers, but I realized that I should've just checked the ones that involved the anime...until I got to the last question.

"How did you come to know all this? Check all that apply."

And right below "playing the games" and above "watching the anime," I saw the one word that I hadn't really thought of.

"Research."

I swear -- whatever God calls himself in this reality -- he _must_ be looking out for me. I hit that button -- and the manga and anime buttons, which were below it. I hesitated before I hit the "finish" button, though.

What if they found out about Vapor? I got him when I was playing LeafGreen, so --

That's when I remembered Matthew. They didn't know who _he_ was, and they didn't know who _I_ was. Which gave me a double advantage, considering that I still had my free will and everything and they didn't know what Trainer license was mine.

I went ahead and hit finish, then turned to look at the White's Movements side. The questions over here were definitely as easy, but there were some that gave me a little difficulty.

Like, "what Pokemon did White choose as her Starter?" Of course it gave the usual Kanto Pokemon -- including Pikachu and _Vulpix,_ surprisingly. It made me wonder, but I just went with the Pokemon Type she had in the manga -- Grass-Type, considering that she had the Servine given to her by N.

A giant red X appeared on that screen -- something that hadn't happened on the other screens. Guess I got that one wrong -- as well as a number of others.

As soon as I hit finish -- which was on the same last screen as what had been on Rocket Activity -- the door was slammed open, and Cassidy marched in, grabbed my arm, and dragged me out. Next thing I knew, we were standing in front of a door with the symbols for Aqua and Magma -- you know, the ones that look like a skull and crossbones and some sort of mountain.

"Let's see how you do in here," Charon said, grinning at me as he opened the door. Cassidy promptly threw me inside and shut the door behind me.

I found myself in the same sort of situation as I had in the previous room, except I was standing nose-to-wall with a Hoenn map and the wall that would have said "Rocket Activity" said "Magma/Aqua Activity."

I did the map first again, even though it had been a while since I had played the game, I could still remember some of the names. Lavaridge. Petalburg. Littleroot. Fortree. The rest of the names came back as I put in the other names, and I had the map filled up pretty quickly.

I went through the Teams' activity pretty much the same way as I did with the Rocket one, but this time I figured that I had to say that I'd played the games, too -- I mean, those morons probably heard that I commanded a Rayquaza to take down Giratina, so there's no way I would have been able to get away with that.

So I hit every single one of the buttons and turned to White's side of things.

Again with the easy questions, and this time I actually managed to get away with nothing wrong on her end, which surprised me -- especially considering that I hit Mudkip when I had been aiming for Torchic (she _did_ have a Tepig before getting the Servine, after all).

Cassidy came in and grabbed me again and walked me past Charon, who looked like his jaw was about to drop. When I saw the tablet that he held in his hands, I could guess why.

"No one has gotten a perfect score on that test!" the scientist hissed, moving to stand in front of me when Cassidy stopped in front of a door with a familiar shield -- the Plasma logo. "How is it that you knew all of White's movements?!"

He didn't look too happy about me getting a perfect score.

I gave a shrug. "Guess I'm just lucky that way."

"Well, I doubt that you'll be so lucky in here." Charon opened the door, and I was thrust inside.

Yup. Unova test. I wonder why they completely skipped over Sinnoh...?

Wait. They might have been looking for kids who were _specifically_ in the Sinnoh region during the time that White was. Which means that I can't pull a fake one and say that I'd never been there.

I turned to the Plasma Activity first, and instantly noticed that something was off. It actually said _Neo_ Plasma at the top. I didn't know there was a -

Wait. Neo means "new". In one of the mangas, there was a _Neo Galactic._ That means we're talking about Black 2 and White 2.

But...if White was in _those_ games...then who took out the Plasma goons in the first one? Black?

This game was one that I didn't know so well, because it just came out and I had been spending more of my time working on getting ready to transfer Pokemon into the games. I _would_ have already done that, but I wasn't about to try to ask for a DS from the Carlsdales when their owners are...well, gone.

I managed to get through well enough up to the point that they were messing around with freezing Drayden's place. After that, things kind of went downhill. I'd heard some things from people, but it didn't really stick with me -- at least, until two questions later when I realized _why_ I had gotten the question wrong.

Like the fact that Ghestis _had_ been able to control White Kyruem (they didn't include Black Kyruem, surprisingly) with the key-cane thing he had.

White's Movements in this one didn't really fare much better. I did hit the Fire-Type Starter this time, but I got it wrong (again), and some of her actions were completely unpredictable.

How was I supposed to know that she had made friends with Black before she'd gotten there?

By the time I had gotten done with the map, I knew that I didn't have a full score, but they wouldn't be able to tell I had played the games. I hit "Research" for both ends of the quizzes, so that left that knowledge safe.

As well as whatever Pokemon that I might have befriended that now exist here.

Cassidy stormed in again and dragged me out again, and I saw a rather grumpy look on Charon's face. _Had_ he been counting on me getting all the ones on Unova right?

"Well, that covers her mental potential," the old man sniffed. "Not very much experience for an Avatar." He made a motion with his hand. "Take her back to her cell and leave her there."

"Yes, Boss." Cassidy grabbed my arm and started to drag me down the hall towards a warp panel.

I didn't really fight back, considering that I still didn't have much energy after the "physical tests."

But that didn't wipe the knowing smirk off my face. I may have gotten a "perfect score" on Hoenn, but there was a lot more about the world that I knew about -- and _they_ didn't know, which made my victory all the sweeter.

Now just to figure out now I could use that to my own advantage.

 


	9. Underground, part 2

"So, you're Khrista's first Pokemon?"

The Swampert gave a nod, looking down at the pink, fox-like Pokemon looking up at him with curious eyes.

"Yes," the Water/Ground-Type replied with a slight nod. "I heard that you were human once. Perhaps you knew her?"

The Espeon frowned, then turned and walked over to the other side of the stone hut they were now standing in. Grace was lying on a mat of straw at the back, watching the two older Pokemon converse with mild interest.

"I do go to school with her," the Espeon admitted, turning to look at Swamp. "But we never really talked. I never even _knew_ that she played games like this -- or that we would end up getting pulled into this mess."

"I think it's kind of fun, Eliza," Grace spoke up, wagging her tail.

"It's _not_ fun," the Espeon snapped back in reply, her ears moving back as she glared over at Grace. "We're stuck in the middle of a refuge that we can't leave, and the guy who brought us here would sooner see us _brainwashed_ than sent home!"

The Eevee's ears drooped, and she lowered her head. "Sorry."

Eliza let out a sigh, and she walked over and slipped onto the straw mat and snuggled against her younger sister in what looked like a comforting gesture.

"It's okay," the Espeon purred. "At least we're safe here for now."

"For now?" Swamp looked up at the open expanse of the cave roof above them, glad that the huts didn't have roofs so that he could stand upright. "Do you mean to say that those above us may try to find us?"

"The Professors always say that there's a risk." Eliza got to her feet again, walking over to the Swampert. "And if Cyrus managed to find us, then things will definitely become worse for us." Eliza's eyes narrowed in determination. "But if I have to, I will fight to make sure that my sister remains free."

Swamp gave a nod. "Your will is commendable," he rumbled. "But I hope it will not have to come to that."

Eliza nodded in agreement.

"I've got a question," Grace spoke up in a quiet voice.

The Espeon turned to look at her sister, and Swamp raised his head slightly so that he could look the Eevee in the eye.

"Did you ever get to actually _see_ White?" Grace asked. "I mean, I've heard a lot about the Avatars, and I thought that maybe --"

"No, I did not see her." The Swampert shook his head. "If I ever did, I did not recognize her. Khrista led us out on the Routes and through towns faster than White probably ever did. There is a chance that we may have reached certain areas before her -- or long after. I cannot say what sort of changes in time were enacted upon us."

"But do you know anything about her?" Grace's ears went up in curiosity, and Eliza also gained a curious expression.

Swamp cocked his head to one side, giving the two a curious expression himself before slowly nodding. "I do. She is a commendable Trainer, having conquered five regions, and it is said she has befriended every single species of Pokemon without effort. There are...rumors, as well, but I am not about to take them into account."

"But I do!"

The Water/Ground-Type turned to face the open doorway of the hut, catching sight of a large blue, humanoid alligator with red triangles going down its back.

The Hoenn Starter blinked. "Typhoon?"

The Feraligatr gave Swamp a grin. "Hey. Vapor said you were hanging around here. I wanted to talk to you about something, rival Trainer's Pokemon to rival Trainer's Poekmon." He looked around the Swampert. "Maybe without the kids listening in."

"I'm not a kid!" Eliza barked, frowning.

"Yeah, well, you're not up to my level." Typhoon made a careless waving motion at the Espeon, who let out a low growl, but reluctantly sat down. The Feraligatr then turned to look at Swamp directly. "There's something big going down up there -- I can tell. And so can a couple of the Legendaries that are hiding out down here. The Profs said they wanted you to be there when they talk to a couple of the Legendaries about what happened when our Trainer dropped in."

"Me?" Swamp frowned at the Feraligatr. "Why me? I'm not --"

"Stop being so modest," the Jhoto Starter replied. "You're the oldest out of all of Khrista's team, so you're going whether you like it or not. Come on -- I'll lead the way."

The Feraligatr turned and started walking along the street that ran in between the Pokemon-sized huts, the area lit by lamps loaded with Shiny and Dawn stones. Swamp, after giving Eliza and Grace a nod of farewell, followed after him.

"What Legendaries _are_ hiding down here?" Swamp asked. "I had thought that they had gone to hide by themselves elsewhere."

"Some Pokemon thought it'd be better with humans, I guess," Typhoon replied with a shrug. "There's no way that I'd trust anybody after what happened _up there_ , though." He glared up at the cave ceiling as they walked past a Gardevoir and a Gallade conversing with a Kirlia, who looked impatient for some reason. Neither Starters stopped to overhear what the conversation was, however.

"The world above isn't looking so good," Swamp replied. "This has to be the best that I've ever seen anything." He looked over a large collection of huts towards the giant Pikachu head that was positioned at the top of a hill. "The Pokemon aren't as organized."

"You can thank Pika for that," Typhoon stated, motioning to the Pikachu head. "From what I've heard, that little guy's been working at keeping everybody's spirits up, including the rest of Joshua's team. Something about him being here before or something."

"Hmmm....."

The pair soon left the huts and walked across a small plain of grass. small, white Pokemon that looked like it was part bush looked in their direction as they passed, then went back to its own business. Soon, Typhoon and Swamp were walking through the more human-populated sector of the Underground, the Feraligatr leading the way to a white, two-story building that had a PokeBall on the front.

However, the two did not set foot inside. Instead, Typhoon pointed Swamp in the direction of a gathering of Pokemon and humans -- most notable among them being a large, experienced-looking Blastoise who had a Pikachu wearing a red scarf sitting on the Water-Type's shoulder.

"Go on," Typhoon stated. "Like I said, they've been waiting for ya."

"You're not coming?"

"Na. I'm not really part of the older group." Typhoon took a step back. "Go on."

Swamp sighed and shook his head at the Feraligatr's antics, then turned and started for the group, leaving the Jhoto Starter to stand by himself.

A figure in a lab coat turned as Swamp approached. The Water/Ground-Type recognized the Pokemon Professor instantly.

"Professor Rowan," Swamp stated, nodding his head in greeting. "I was told you all wanted to see me?" He looked around the group of humans and Pokemon, catching sight of Chaos and Aurora standing behind the Blastoise with a small, V-shaped Pokemon colored in reds and yellows.

Rowan gave a curt nod. Swamp saw the bags under the Sinnoh Professor's eyes and knew that it had been some time since he had slept. "Yes. We have been discussing a few things, and wished to have you input. As the oldest and most experienced of your team's Pokemon, you were the most likely of the newcomers to have anything that might be useful."

"What is it that you need?" Swamp asked.

"Chaos and Aurora have already explained about the situation concerning the Lake Trio and what occurred with your Trainer," continued a man with light brown hair the came up in three small sprigs on top of his head. "We were wondering if you have any idea as to the locations of other havens."

Swamp frowned, then looked around quietly as he considered his answer. The Blastoise, Pikachu, Chaos, Aurora, the other Legendary, and himself were not the only Pokemon that were there -- there was a green lizard with a pinecone tail who Swamp found oddly familiar. And then there were the Pokemon Professors besides -- both recognizable and not.

"The trio from Jhoto did provide us, Cresselia, and Darkrai protection above ground," the Swampert admitted. "However, I'm not aware of any other havens. Rayquaza spent most of his time moving from place to place. If he had followed us, he might have been able to tell you."

"That is the main problem," spoke up a man in a lab coat with brown hair and a matching beard. "When Cyrus struck, the first thing he did was hunt through the regions to find whatever pockets of resistance that might have come up in the days following the event. We haven't tried to contact any havens, which leaves us cut off from the rest of the world. I have yet to see if any others survived."

"You were all here -- in this region -- when it happened?" Swamp frowned. "Our Avatar had yet to completely transfer all of us to Jhoto, which was the next region she had conquered. My team and Rayquaza are the only ones that are left of her Pokemon here."

"We were here to discuss the appearance of a new Pokemon Type," a woman spoke up. Her hair was bunched up like an ice cream cone on top of her head. "Professor Rowan led us down here and we've been staying here ever since." The younger Professor Juniper let out a sigh and lowered her head. "And I doubt that we'll ever leave at this point."

"I believe there's still a chance."

Everyone in the group turned to look in the direction of the Blastoise and the Pikachu. The Electric Mouse jumped off his perch, then continued to speak.

"I've run a few missions myself when days are slow. A few runs back, I found something in Deep Coronet."

"Deep Coronet?!" Elm repeated in shock. "What were you doing in Deep C-Coronet?!"

"It was a 6-star mission," the Pikachu replied, pointing to a winged, gold PokeBall that was pinned to the red scarf wrapped around his neck. "A Dugtrio said that there was something going on in the mountain, and it had been going on since a few days after we had arrived underground. So I took a couple strong Pokemon with me and started to poke around."

"There were enough Pokemon crying out to wake the dead," the Sceptile spoke up.

Now Swamp _knew_ who the Sceptile was.

"Were they in pain, Cedar?" Swamp asked in a low growl, stiffening up a little.

The Sceptile turned to look at the Swampert directly, revealing to the Hoenn Water Starter a scar that went over his right eye. "No. It sounded more like they were trying to cheer someone on." He voice didn't carry any sort of growl, but the grim look in his eye was enough to make Swamp's hackles lower.

"Cheering someone on?" Professor Juniper frowned, then turned to look over at Professor Oak, who was standing next to the Blastoise and hadn't said a single word. "What do you make of it?"

Professor Oak's already present frown deepened, and he looked over at the Blastoise. "Something tells me that --"

"Hey!"

Everyone turned at the sound of the new voice, and everyone except for Swamp stiffened in surprise.

A man with his brown hair and beard sticking out everywhere and wearing clothes that didn't look like they had been cleaned in _weeks_ stomped out of the building near them.

"What do you think you're doing, having a meeting without me?" the man demanded, his eyes burning with a determined fire.

A Linoone trotted out of the building after him, grinning triumphantly. "I told him!"

 _"Told him?"_ Chaos asked, frowning.

Swamp might have jumped if it wasn't in his nature; he had forgotten Chaos, Aurora, and the little "V" Pokemon were still there.

"Yeah. About Khrista." Linoone's entire body started to wag excitedly.

"And we can use that to our advantage," the man stated with grim determination, looking around the group. "If _their_ Trainer is loose, there's a chance that we can take Cyrus down while she wears at him from the inside."

"Birch, try to think logically, here," Oak spoke up. "We can't contact anyone who may be on the inside _and_ _free_. We were discussing the chance that there may be something going on in Deep Coronet!" He motioned to the Pikachu, who was standing in the center of the group. "Pika, I believe that it may be a good idea to look into this, but you're going to have to get a team together that is of both Pokemon _and_ Trainers."

Pika's ears shot up. "Trainers on an Exploration Team?"

"You don't think that it would work?" the Blastoise spoke up in a low rumble.

"No, I do, Trevor." Pika looked back at the Blastoise. "It's just that it's never been done before."

Swamp shrugged. "First time for everything."

 _"Can I come, too?"_ The little V-shaped Legendary flew forward and landed next to Pika, looking eager.

"Victini...." Pika sighed and shook his head. "If Cyrus gets you, we're _all_ done for. I'm not going to risk it."

The Legendary's ears drooped, and the Pokemon looked extremely disappointed. _"Yeah, yeah. I know...."_

Swamp frowned slightly. It looked like the Pokemon was starting to get worn down. The creature probably wanted some action....

"We're going to need you if we're going to take Cyrus down," Birch spoke up, coming over and patting Victini on the head. "Trust me -- we're going to take him out!"

Linoone let out a howl of excitement, throwing his head back.

"Boys, please!" Oak barked. When Linoone had stopped howling, the Kanto Professor let out a sigh of annoyance. "I need some rest. Pika, I'm counting on you to make the right decisions in this."

Pika gave a nod. "You can count on me, Professor." He started out of the circle. "Trevor, Cedar -- I'm going to need your help looking for a couple people."

The Blastoise and Sceptile looked at each other, then started after the Pikachu.

"Is there anything else you need me for?" Swamp asked, looking over at the humans and Legendaries that had originally been at the start of the meeting.

Rowan shook his head. "You may go -- and take the Linoone with you. I doubt that Birch needs to be --"

"No, he can stay," Birch spoke up defensively. "It's been a while since I've seen a Zigzagoon from Route 201 -- even if it isn't one anymore." He looked down at Linoone, who wagged his tail, looking delighted.

Swamp gave a nod, then turned and took a couple steps forward to where Victini still stood. The Swampert leaned forward and whispered quietly in the Pokemon's ear, "Don't worry. If we do find allies in this Deep Coronet place, we may soon be back above ground."

Victini looked up at Swamp curiously, but the Hoenn Starter didn't even register the look the little Legendary was giving him, instead turning and walking away from the group.

As Swamp started back towards the Pokemon-made huts to find someone who might give him a space to sleep for a time, he passed by a small, white house that had a fence that was surrounded by a small plot of land that looked like it had once been used as a small garden.

A sign posted near the front door read "Mrs. K's House. Do Not Disturb."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you can all guess who "Mrs. K" is supposed to be. I tried to be subtle in these things, but I never really am.


	10. Dreamscape, part 2

**Khrista's POV**

I had only just managed to lie down and close my eyes when they snapped open again and I found myself staring at a soft blue ceiling; I was back in my "Dream House," I guess you could call it.

I climbed out of my bed and left the room, then went downstairs only to find that Ash was just coming into the family room. As soon as he saw me, he gave another one of those not-quite smiles.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Didn't you say that you liked to mess with other people's heads?"

"I figured I'd give them a night before going and giving them a good scare," Ash replied with a shrug. "Besides, I'd kind of like to see if another Pokemon will do anything."

Another Pokemon? Is he getting help from someone on the outside?

Wait -- messing with people's heads....there's only one Pokemon who does _that._

I must've gotten such a look on my face, because Ash gave another nod, but he looked amused.

"Yup -- that's right." Ash's amused look faded pretty quickly, though. "Telling you isn't the reason why I came around, though."

Oh? "What's up?"

"I want you to meet someone tonight." Ash held out a hand. "I can take you to him, but there are a couple things you've gotta do."

"What?" I hoped that it wasn't anything that was going to be too drastic.

"Close your eyes as soon as you get out of here, and don't let go. If you do, you're going to end up being sucked back to your dreamscape without a chance to grab me again."

Oh. Well, at least he didn't say "out of body experience."

I grabbed his outstretched hand in one of my own, and the two of us started for the front door of my "Dream House."

Honestly, if it's going to be called that, it's going to have to look more like me and less like my family's actual house.

Ash opened the door and started out of the house into the black void beyond. As soon as I set foot outside of the house, my eyes snapped shut without my say-so. My grip instantly tightened on Ash's hand, though, and I heard him mutter something under his breath.

I didn't catch all of it, but it sounded like he'd said "strong grip."

The next thing I knew, there was the sound of another door opening, and I nearly tripped over something.

"You can open your eyes now," Ash spoke up. I heard a door creak shut behind me, and I opened my eyes. They didn't want to open up as fast as I wanted, though -- now I know the _real_ meaning of heavy eyelids.

They opened up all the same, but I didn't a dreamscape that I had expected.

"Who's dreamscape is this?" I asked, looking around at the forest clearing we now stood in.

"Shoot, he's _still_ asleep."

I turned my head to look at Ash, then followed his line of sight to a small spot of sunlight not too far away from the clearing. Lying in the leaf-dabbled spot was a yellow mouse with a lightning-bolt tail.

"Looks like we'll have to head back," Ash muttered under his breath.

"You're not going to wake him up?" I asked, frowning.

Ash gave me a wide-eyed look. "No way. He doesn't know that I can do this, and waking him up in here could get me _killed_!"

"Kill you? Why would --"

Apparently, Ash's words probably came out louder than he had intended, because the Pikachu opened his eyes, leapt to his hind feet, and promptly let out a yell as he unleashed a blast of electricity at us. I only just managed to run out of the way of the blast, while Ash ended up taking the full brunt of it and was left looking slightly singed. But he didn't look dead -- yet.

"What are you doing here?" Pikachu demanded, glaring at Ash.

Wait a sec -- he can speak English? He didn't in the anime....

Hang on. This was kind of happening before -- outside.

_Can I understand PokeSpeak now?_

"Is it bad enough that I have to deal with the one out there?" Pikachu made a motion with one paw, as though there was enough proof in our surroundings. "Get out! I don't want to see you dressed up like my Trainer!"

Ash took a step back, looking hurt. For some odd reason, he didn't look so singed.

"Wow," I stated, feeling a little lost for words. "When you said he wanted to kill you, you definitely weren't kidding." ****

Pikachu turned his attention to me, and he frowned cautiously. "Another one?"

I took a step back myself, feeling a little wary of the little Electric-Type. "I'm not like Ash, if that's what you mean. I kinda got yanked into this without a warning. My name's --"

"Don't!" Ash yelled in alarm, clapping a hand over my mouth.

I pulled back instinctively and gave him a curious look. "What's wrong with saying my name?"

"Do _that_ , and Cyrus _will_ find out when I wake up," Ash replied seriously. "And names have power around here -- if _he_ finds out, you're done for."

"Done for?" I frowned. I could see Pikachu looking back and forth between us out of confusion, but I didn't want to shift from Ash before I got an answer. "What do you mean?"

The Kanto Trainer gained a frustrated expression. "You're going to end up like the other kids is what I mean."

My eyes widened. "Whoa. That's a problem."

"What is going _on_ here?" Pikachu spoke up, sounding annoyed.

Ash and I looked down at the Pokemon, and I gained a sheepish expression.

"Yeah....I'm kinda...not in his situation." I jabbed a thumb in Ash's direction.

"Then what are you doing with him?" Pikachu took a couple steps forward, pointing accusingly at Ash while keeping his eyes glued on Khrista.

I shrugged. "He said he wanted me to meet someone."

"I'm right here, you know," Ash muttered, sounding annoyed. I ignored him.

"It was kind of a shock when you attacked," I added. "You're pretty strong."

Pikachu blinked, then frowned. "All right. What are you doing here, then?"

"I think Ash has got that answer."

Ash got down on his knees, looking the Electric-Type directly in the face -- as directly as he could, at any rate, since Pikachu crossed his arms over his chest and refused to look at his Trainer.

Ash took in a breath and hesitated a moment before speaking. "The Lake Spirits are loose. Articuno did it when I brought her in." He glanced over at me, and I frowned.

"That was _after_ I got knocked out, wasn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah." Ash gave a sheepish grin, then looked back at Pikachu. I noticed that the Electric Mouse had been eyeing Ash, but he quickly looked away when the Trainer when Ash looked back at Pikachu.

"I'm leaving Cyrus alone in the dreamscapes," Ash added. "I've been bugging him whenever I've fallen asleep, but I think it'll go to someone who knows what he's doing a whole lot better."

One of Pikachu's ears twitched, and he turned his head to look at Ash curiously. Some sort of look was passed between them, and Pikachu's eyes widened. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

What? Who was it that they were talking about? Wait. Right. _That_ Pokemon.

Ash shook his head, a grin appearing on his face. "I'm not. And I'm hoping that he heard me, because otherwise I won't be able to see you because I'd have full hands."

Pikachu looked between Ash and I with wide eyes that were filled with excitement. "He's going to be really out of it. Do you think we can --"

"I don't know, but there's a big chance," Ash replied. He looked over at me, then moved up to stand on his feet. "There are a couple other people who are in the same situation that you are. I don't think that you'd be able to find them in time, but there is a chance that you'll be able to hunt them down. Eventually."

I blinked, and my eyes widened. "Really? How many?"

Ash shook his head. "I can't say. There's a lot of stuff that goes on when I'm out...doing things. I've got a couple guesses, but...." He shrugged, then paused and looked up at the blue sky. "I'd better get you back to your place. We don't have much time before you're going to get woken up again."

"How can you tell?"

Ash gave me a deadpan expression. "Do you really want me to answer that question?" he asked flatly.

"Uh...something tells us I shouldn't."

Ash gave me a nod, then held out his hand for me to grab. Looking down at Pikachu, he stated, "I'll come back tomorrow night, okay?"

The Electric-Type gave a nod. "Yeah. Sure." He gave a sly smirk. "Man, when I yelled for you to break loose, I didn't think _this_ would happen."

"It's been going on for a while, actually," Ash replied, surprising the Pikachu.

"Um, I kinda want to get back into my head, so if you don't mind...."

Ash looked over at me. "Right." He turned and started for the other side of the clearing, where a door materialized out of nowhere. Ash placed his hand on the doorknob, then looked back at Pikachu for another moment.

Then he threw the door open, and I shut my eyes. Next thing I knew, we were walking over the threshold of my own dreamscape.

"Thanks for helping me out back there with Pikachu," Ash stated as he shut the door behind him.

I opened my eyes much more easily than when I had entered Pikachu's dreamscape.

"It wasn't a problem -- really." I looked over at Ash, then gave a dry smirk. "You would have gotten through to him even if I wasn't there; you're that stubborn."

Ash let out a short laugh -- I figured that he was agreeing with me. "Yeah."

"Try and visit me again sometime, all right? I don't think they're going to let me know stuff because of who I am."

Plus, I never liked to be left in the dark.

"We'll see," the Kanto Trainer responded. He opened my front door again, then disappeared out into the void.


	11. Cousin!

Khrista woke up to the sound of the door of her cell slamming open, and upon seeing that Cassidy was standing in the doorway, she retreated under the thin blanket in an attempt to get some last-minute sleep. She was still tired after the events of the day before, and didn't to end up going through the physical trials without proper rest.

The Rocket saw straight through this ruse, however, and promptly stomped over to the bunk that Khrista had claimed and tore the blanket off the upper bunk.

There was a loud _rrrrip!,_ and the blanket tore in half, leaving Khrista and Cassidy each holding a piece of the flimsy fabric.

It was during that noise that it almost looked like Khrista's shirt had flickered orange for a second.

Khrista's head shot up from the pillow, surprise clear on her face as she sat up and inspected the jagged tear in the blanket. "Whoa. I figured this was thin, but --"

She was cut off when Cassidy threw her half in the brown-haired girl's face.

"Come on," Cassidy stated, irritated as she watched Khrista pull the blanket away from her face. "The Boss wants you for something."

Khrista blinked, thinking back to the day before for a moment. She looked down at the two blanket pieces in her hands for a moment, then clenched her fists more tightly.

"Knucklehead wants me?" Khrista demanded, putting on her false bravado once again. "Fine."

She tossed the blanket halves out of the bunk bed, allowing them to settle on the floor in two flattened out, jagged rectangles. Then she slipped out of the upper bunk and landed on the stone-cold floor with a _thump_.

Cassidy raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as to Khrista's movements. Instead, she took hold of the girl's arm and led her out of the cell and down the hall.

Khrista's gaze went over the hall again, scanning each of the doors for some sort of recognizable mark that might tell her who was inside. She didn't see anything before Cassidy led her over a warp panel and they warped into a room that was a dismal gray...

...and lined with cages containing Pokemon.

Charon, who was standing in the center of the room and was scribbling something on a clipboard, turned when Cassidy and Khrista entered. A rather sinister grin came over his face.

"Well! Glad to see you managed to arrive here on time," the scientist stated cheerily. "Unlike some people I know." He glared at a young man with teal hair standing nearby, and the receiver of the glare cringed.

Khrista frowned. "Is there time in this place?" She glanced over at the teal-haired man, and realized a moment later who it was. _Butch? Rocket nostalgia much?_

"Well, no, but we keep up pretenses all the same."

"Because you morons got rid of it!" shouted a Pokemon from one of the cages.

Khrista couldn't see who it was that had spoken, thanks to the large number of cages, but when she saw that Charon hadn't even batted an eye when the creature had cried out.

Maybe he didn't understand PokeSpeak?

"Cassidy, did you explain to M-9 why it is that you brought her here?" Charon asked, motioning to Khrista.

"M-9?" Khrista repeated, frowning.

"We need to call you something until we know your name," the scientist replied readily. He looked over at Cassidy more directly. "Well?"

"You didn't tell me to, so I didn't," Cassidy replied calmly.

Khrista looked up at the Rocket grunt in confusion, then around the room again before settling on a cageless corner of the room, where if looked like the shadows were darker than they were in other places. When she looked at that corner, however, something shifted.

Charon let out an annoyed sigh. "You are here to see which Pokemon _would_ be compatible with you as a decent partner."

"Would be?" Khrista repeated, frowning.

The _real_ question that was going through her head, though, was " _Why_ are they letting me pick a partner when I'm clearly _not_ under their control?"

"We aren't going to give it to you now," Charon amended, "but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be prepared with your most compatible Type."

Khrista's frown deepened as she became concerned at the idea. However, she said nothing, instead looking around the room again and looking at each of the Pokemon. Most of them were "basic" Pokemon, small enough to fit in cages that were stacked on top of each other, but there were one or two that were being kept in larger cages at the bottom of a few of the stacks.

"Now, considering your test results, I'd say that we should go with a Pokemon you're unfamiliar with," Charon continued. He walked over to a bunch of cages that looked like they contained Pokemon from Kanto and Jhoto; an Eevee sitting in a cage at Charon's eye-level cowered when the scientist approached. "Something from The Boy's home, perhaps?"

Khrista blinked, frowning. It took her a moment to realize that Charon was actually referring to Ash.

"Considering the Pokemon native to the Sinnoh and Hoenn regions, it doesn't give us very much to work with, but I believe I may have found a solution." Charon started to reach for the latch on one of the cages -- which contained a Pokemon Khrista couldn't see clearly, but she could hear it growling the closer Charon's hand got.

It was at this exact moment that the thing in the shadows decided to strike.

A dark purple blur burst out of the shadowy corner and grabbed Khrista's left arm. She only had time to let out a yell of alarm before her entire surroundings disappeared into darkness.

The next thing she knew, she was standing in the middle of a cell, the dark purple creature still clamped to her arm.

But that wasn't what Khrista was looking at in surprise and shock.

She was staring at the boy sitting on the lower bunk of the stacked beds in front of her.

**Khrista's POV**

No. Way.

I thought it was weird enough that I ended up shadow-traveling thanks to some Pokemon that's now on my arm, but now it's just getting even stranger.

Because I think that I'm looking at my fifteen-year-old cousin.

Brown hair -- just like mine, no surprise, considering how popular the color is. He wore a cerulean-blue shirt, blue jeans, and dark-blue slip-on shoes -- a little off, but nothing that nobody's ever tried before.

But those eyes. Hazel with green specs. As far as I know, no one else has those eyes.

It's got to be him.

"Hey," the boy greeted calmly. "You might want to let go of her now."

The creature on my arm shook its head. "No way. Shorty and Blondie were in the room when I nabbed her. I'm going to have to move her out before they try to hunt me down."

Girly voice, sounded like the Pokemon knew what it was doing.

I looked over and, to my surprise, found that a Gengar had latched onto me. I'm surprised I didn't feel the temperature drop or something.

"Uh...what's going on?" I asked, looking between the two of them.

The hazel-eyed boy reached into a pocket of his jeans, then pulled out some sort of device and walked over to my right side. I tried to move away, but the Gengar kept me in place while the boy dropped something in my ear.

"A communicator," he explained, taking a step back while the device settled in my ear. "We'll be able to keep in touch."

"What are you --"

"Six on Six, Hoenn teams, no Legendaries allowed," the boy interrupted.

Wait a sec. Those restrictions are _familiar_.

The boy must've seen my eyes widen, because he gave a nod. "Yeah. That's right."

 _Definitely_ my cousin.

Guys, meet Joshua.

"I knew you'd moved in from out of town, but I didn't think you'd end up getting caught in this," I stated, frowning.

Joshua shrugged. "I play Pokemon. That's all that matters to them."

"We've got to move her out of here," the Gengar muttered. "I can tell. They're coming with a _lot_ of other Pokemon that have been Turned."

"A few minutes longer," Joshua replied. He put a hand on my shoulder. "I figured something was going to happen as soon as I heard they were going to try one last time to get White."

"Whoever that is," I muttered.

Joshua frowned, his green speckled eyes flickering with an emotion I couldn't identify. "The point is that you could end up becoming whatever-it-is that White is, too. Trust me, Arceus chose to act as he did in this world because everything happens for a reason."

"Why not just call him God instead of that Legendary's name?"

"Because that _is_ his name here. There just happens to be a Pseudo-god named after him." Joshua let out a sigh. "Look. I'm going to have my Gengar take you into hiding so that the others don't get a fix on you. If you can, try to come up with something that might end up being helpful in the long run against the head of this operation."

I knew he meant Cyrus there, but why he doesn't say it, either....

There was the sudden sound of pounding on the other end of the door.

"Subject J-4! We know you're holding a fugitive Pokemon in there!"

Wait -- was that _Saturn's_ voice? The one from the anime? I never thought he'd sound so angry.

"Time to go," the Gengar muttered.

I felt my stomach drop, but nothing went dark this time.

Instead, the back wall of Joshua's cell got blasted open. The toilet and sink ended up falling down a long shaft of darkness filled with pipes, which weren't connected to them, surprisingly.

A second later, the Gengar was holding me up somewhat while I grasped one of the pipes in the shaft, high above where the break in the wall was.

How she managed to move me there so quickly is beyond me, but I'm glad for it.

Because as soon as I had wrapped my arms around the pipe and desperately prayed that they won't see me or the Gengar, the door slammed open.

"Where is the Pokemon?!" Saturn roared as he stomped in -- I know because I could hear something that sounded a lot like stomping. "I know it's here!"

"Well, it's not now," Joshua replied. He clearly sounded annoyed.

"I can see that," Saturn's voice hissed. I tried to imagine him _looking_ angry and failed miserably. "Where did it go?"

"Sheesh, what are you, blind? You can see the wall's gone, can't you?"

Wow. I knew he could be snarky before but... _well_.

"Of course I can see that, _boy,"_ Saturn growled in reply. "Where did they go? Down or up?"

"Didn't see." I could just imagine seeing Joshua shrug. "There was dust going everywhere."

"There would have been 'dust going everywhere' if it had been broken open from the other side!" Saturn roared.

I heard footsteps down below, and a moment later a beam of light shot out and started to work its way up the wall of pipes. A Pokemon poked its head out -- it looked yellow, and had pointy ears and a long mustache. The light was coming off a spoon.

As soon as I realized that the Pokemon was using Flash or something, I noticed a moment later that it was looking _right at me._

I gripped the pipe more tightly and desperately wished that I wasn't caught like a deer in the headlight's of a hunter's truck. A moment later, I felt like my stomach was doing some sort of twist, but it didn't make me nauseous.

The Pokemon pulled back, the Flash flickering out. A moment later, Saturn let out a growl of annoyance.

"Your friend won't get far," Saturn snarled. "Until this wall is repaired, you will be assigned to a different cell, and I know _exactly_ where you're going to be staying."

A moment later, I heard Joshua snap, "I don't need to be dragged, thanks."

Not long after, I heard a door slam shut, and the light that had been on in the cell below switched off.

I'm alone. In the dark.

With a Gengar.

Oh, boy....

"You are really an odd one," the Gengar remarked suddenly. I turned my head so as to look her in the eye as she continued, "I've never seen a human capable of making themselves into a Dark-Type."

I frowned. "What?"

"Look at your shirt, kid. It's even darker than me."

I looked down, and my eyes widened when I saw the black fabric. "OK. That's weird. I swear I was wearing a red shirt a moment ago." I was starting to get a little freaked out.

"Calm down," the Gengar stated, raising a paw. "I know someone who might be able to help you."

She started to pull me away from the pipe by my waist, but it took a little doing on her part -- I was _not_ about to let go of the one thing that was actually _solid._

Eventually, however, she did let get me to let go, and started to lift me up the shaft.

"Where is it that you're taking me?" I asked, a little fearful of the ghost Pokemon -- especially considering that I could be easily dropped who knows _how_ far down the shaft to some unforeseen death. I stiffened up my muscles so that I wasn't just hanging limp.

"You're going to like him, I think," Gengar replied. "He and I have been watching what's been going on as soon as Spiky tore down Lake Verity and our house."

"Your _house?"_ I repeated, turning my head in order to try and look up at the ghost.

"Yeah. What -- you didn't think that we have houses?"

"Um....." I wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"Doesn't matter. Listen, kid, your cuz is our Trainer, and we've been keeping an eye on him." The wicked grin on the Gengar's face grew even wider. "We've been his top two for Double Battles, if you remember."

I blinked in confusion, trying to think back to whenever Joshua had asked me to a Pokemon match that was a Double Battle. The only time I could remember about that kind of thing was in Hoenn, after he had borrowed my Gameboy to send Pokemon from his FireRed game. Next thing I knew, my team had been floored by two of his Pokemon -- and he hadn't even used the other two on his team.

Well, I exaggerate about the not using the rest of his team, but it could have ended up like that if I had been careless.

But which ones --

Wait. There were a couple names that popped into my head unbidden.

I looked up at the Gengar in surprise. "Wait -- are you _Gangrene?"_

The Gengar's grin got wider. "The one and only!" She looked up at the darkness above us and seemed to tighten her grip. "Can you become intangible too, Dark girl?"

"I-I don't know."

"Well, shoot. Guess I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way."

Before I could ask Gangrene what she meant, I suddenly felt _really_ cold as my stomach wrenched, and everything went black.


	12. Pre-Exploration

"Hey, Swamp. It's time."

The Swampert opened his eyes in annoyance upon hearing a voice in his ears. He looked up from the edge of the deep mud puddle he happened to be lying in and found himself staring at the green, scarred face of a certain Grass-Type.

Swamp scowled up at the Sceptile standing at the edge of the mud puddle, then started to climb out of it with slow, casual steps that allowed him to stay in the mud for as long as he could. "Greetings...Cedar. Did you _have_ to interrupt my rest here?"

The Grass-Type smirked and shook his head. "The Profs want to meet with us again, so they sent me to hunt you down. And I'm glad I managed to find you, too -- most other Pokemon would have thought to look with the other Water-Types."

Swamp snorted, shaking himself a little as the mud started to slide off him. "What is it they want us for?" A thought tickled him at the back of his mind, bringing back what exactly had happened the day before -- if one could call it a day.

Cedar calmly took a step back in order to avoid the sprinkling of mud. "It's got something to do with what we were called in for last time. Remember?"

Swamp paused in his shaking and gave the Sceptile an unidentifiable expression. "I think I have a hunch."

The two started to walk away from a collection of mud pits that were surrounded by Quagsire that were spewing water out and washing mud off each other. The environment changed to a grassy plain, which had multiple, small Pokemon of all Types going about and keeping themselves busy with their own games. It wasn't too long before they were back at the Professors' building, but they weren't alone.

Swamp's gaze went over Professors Oak and Birch -- the latter of the two looking better than he had before -- and the three-headed Ground-Type that was burrowed into the ground at their feet. Leaning against the lab's wall were also two teenage boys who looked almost identical, except that the older of the two (he looked to be about 18 years) had blue eyes and the other (aged 16 years) had brown orbs that matched the color of the spiky hair the two shared. Victini floated nearby with a large grin on his face, while the Pikachu from the previous meeting looked up at the two arriving Hoenn Pokemon with a calm expression.

Swamp looked at the boys in surprise. "Gary? Blue? What are you doing here?"

Cedar ignored him. "Did you find anything?"

Birch nodded eagerly. "We've gotten this Dugtrio to escort the team Pika will assemble to the source of the activity in Mt. Coronet." His eyes sparked with excitement.

"Birch has been attempting to send those four off for the last hour," Oak continued with a frown. "Of course, Pika had to find two Trainers and a Pokemon that have no business leaving the Underground."

"Is that why you sent for us?" Swamp asked. "Do you want us to go in their place?"

"Actually, the both of you have a spot on this team, if you chose to come along," Pika replied seriously. "We could use the help of Pokemon who have been with Trainers who have survived the journey before. You two are both at high enough levels for this."

"I think 100 would be a bit overkill for this place," Swamp remarked. "However, if it means finding new allies, I'm willing to come along."

"As am I," Cedar added. "My Trainer is inside that tower and if there are Goons still wandering around this place, then there's a chance that we could make a dent in that madman's forces." He slammed his clawed hands together, the leaves on his arms seeming to sharpen from the movement.

"We're going, too, Professor," the boy with brown eyes -- Gary -- spoke up. "There could be something on top of Mt. Coronet that could tell us if there's anything we can do to free Ash."

"And maybe Red's location," Blue added as he stepped away from the building. "I'm not going to rest until my rival is found."

Birch gave a nod, then turned his attention to Oak. "What do have to say to that, Samuel?" He sounded oddly smug for a Pokemon Professor.

The Kanto resident looked around at the group, seeing the determined looks that were on their faces. The old man then let out a sigh.

"Very well, you may go," Oak stated, gaining an even wider grin from Victini, who had been watching expectantly. "However, you have to come back immediately if anything goes wrong, understand?" Oak wagged a finger as he looked down at Pika.

"I got it, Professor," Pika replied. He turned to look at the group, nodded, then looked down at the Dugtrio. "Lead the way, friend."

The three heads gave a nod each, then turned and stated around the lab. The rest of the group followed, leaving Professor Birch and Professor Oak behind.

As they crossed a clearing that sat encircled by huts made by Pokemon and humans alike, Blue looked over at Cedar and Swamp. "So, your Trainer is --"

"We don't work under the same Trainer," Cedar stated quickly, making a slashing motion with one paw. "We have crossed paths repeatedly, though -- under Avatars."

"Avatars?" Gary looked at the Sceptile in surprise. "You have _got_ to be kidding me. A pair of Avatars got you to be this strong?"

"It seems they have a lot of time on their hands," Swamp replied.

They were approaching the other side of the clearing, now. Two identical buildings rose up on either side, their gray paint looking unusually worn considering that the buildings surrounding them looked brand new.

"Gyms," Blue stated, motioning to the two buildings. "If I'm right, Falkner and Winona are taking them over for the day and giving some Pokemon down here a run for their money for training."

Swamp inclined his head. "Falkner? The Flying Trainer from Jhoto?"

"That's him."

The group moved past the Gyms, then started towards a tunnel that looked like it had collapsed open; rubble was still lying piled up on either side of the hole in the wall.

"This was made when a couple kids decided to use Earthquake against Volkner and Surge," Pika explained, motioning to the tunnel as he turned to look at the rest of the group. The Dugtrio paused at the entrance and looked back upon sensing that the group had stopped.

"Does it lead to Deep Coronet?" Swamp asked.

"And to the top of the mountain," Cedar added, looking over at the Water-Type. "According to what we saw, there were multiple passages that led to different areas of the mountain -- probably out onto the surface, even."

"But we're going to stay inside the mountain," Pika stated, pointing down at the ground. He turned to look at the Dugtrio. "Let's go."

The Pokemon's heads bobbed. "I'll take you only as far as the entrance to Deep Coronet, and no farther."

"I know." Pika touched his red scarf -- specifically, the PokeBall badge that was pinned there. "That's why we're going in. Take us as far as you need to."

"OK. Follow me."

The Dugtrio started down the tunnel, followed by the rest of the group.

As the Underground disappeared behind them, the light started to fade, but then more light started to come into existence from two sources -- Pika lighting up like a light bulb right behind Dugtrio, and Victini flying around himself and providing more light himself.

"The two of you know Flash?" Swamp asked, looking up at Victini.

The little V-shaped Legendary paused in front of the Swampert and shrugged. _"I'm part Fire, so I can give off heat and light if I want. It's not exactly Flash, but it works."_

"Mine is not a true Flash, either," Pika spoke up, turning his head for a moment to look back at the Water/Ground-Type. "I'm releasing a low-level Electric field that isn't going to harm anyone nearby. My original parter used to say that it tingled, but that was before she got paralyzed over ten times in Amp Plains on a hunt for Zapdos." The Pikachu shook his head. "That Vulpix had a lot more endurance than I ever did in the beginning."

"A Fire-Type?" Cedar asked. "Would've thought you picked a Grass-Type to pair up with -- Type disadvantage and all."

"Type isn't everything. She'd helped me out of a lot of jams -- and I'm thankful for that." Pika looked up at the Sceptile. "Why? Do you have something against them because of Type?"

"No." Cedar raised a paw to trace down the scar that went over his right eye. "It's because of people who used those Types against me and others."

"Oh?" Pika's ear twitched.

"This has something to do with the activity in Hoenn, isn't it?" Blue asked, frowning. "When we were trapped in that 'stone sleep,' as White called it?"

Swamp's orange "whiskers" twitched. He'd heard about something like that happening in Kanto, back when he was still with Professor Birch, but to hear it directly from one of the kids who actually got put under because of some weird energy radiation really hit it home for him.

Cedar gave a grim nod. "I was wild then. No one was going to give me to some Trainer." He let out a short, grim laugh. "That's when some guy in red found me in the Petalburg Woods. Decided I might make a good fighter and took me in. Taught me a few things, but what he taught me _more_ was how much I _hated_ Fire-Types -- and Team Magma by extent."

 _"And the scar?"_ Victini pressed.

"Given me by my old Trainer, when he was trying to teach me a lesson." Cedar gave a grim smile. "I taught him one back and crushed my own PokeBall running out of there. Birch found me and gave me to some hologram and told me I'd be working with a ghost. I learned later that he was an Avatar named Joshua -- Tate and Liza made him fully fleshed in their Gym for _one night._ Didn't say anything, though."

"Consider yourself lucky," Swamp spoke up. "I never saw my Trainer until Cyrus forced her to come here. Khrista didn't deserve to get dragged in like this."

"No one did, Swamp," Blue replied. "No one did."


	13. Type Shift?

Khrista came to, shaking her head as her vision started to clear up and her legs started to buckle a little. When she found herself leaning against a wall -- and she wasn't being suspended in a pipe-filled shaft -- she stiffened almost instantly and started to look around with a somewhat fearful expression.

The room she was now standing in was made of blank stone, and it was completely empty except for a few boxes stacked in a corner and a pile of what looked like straw and blankets.

"What the....?" Khrista looked around in bewilderment. "Where am I? What happened?" She was getting a horrible sense of déjà vu.

"I overshadowed you."

The brown-haired girl turned sharply, catching sight of Gangrene standing not too far behind her. Her blue eyes widened in alarm, and she took a step back.

"Overshadowed?" Khrista gulped.

"You know -- possessed?"

 _That_ got a reaction out of Khrista, and she stumbled back a few more steps. " _What?_ Why?"

"It was the only way I could think of getting you up here. And besides, I wasn't about to ask you to try and become a Ghost-Type." The Gengar's grin became even more mischievous as she said this.

"Ghost-Type...?" Khrista looked down at her shirt and found that, much to her surprise, the black color had lightened to a grayish-purple. "How --"

_"It may have something to do with what occurred when you first arrived here."_

Khrista stiffened again. Turning her head, she caught sight of a figure that looked human, but wasn't quite.

Mainly because the figure had a pointed nose, appeared to be wearing armor that was made of its own skin, and was holding a spoon in both of its three-fingered hands.

"An Alakazam?" Khrista asked quietly, frowning.

 _"I am not simply an Alakazam,"_ the Psychic-Type replied calmly. _"I am a member of Gangrene's team. I am called Alak."_ The Pokemon took a few steps forward. _"I am guessing that you are the new human who was summoned from your world?"_

"Uh...yeah." Khrista gave a hesitant nod, feeling cautious. "You're not with the guy who --"

 _"No, we are not. We have different reasons for being here."_ Alak looked over at Gangrene. _"Did he tell her already?"_

"If he was going to tell her anything, there wasn't much time to tell her," Gangrene replied with a shrug. "Saturn crashed the party."

Khrista blinked, feeling her stomach starting to twist again. "Are you talking about Joshua?"

The two Pokemon looked over at her and nodded. Then Alak paused and took a few steps closer to the teenage girl.

 _"You seem...stranger than I had originally thought,"_ the Alakazam noted. _"Already, your Type is shifting from Ghost to Psychic."_

Khrista looked down at her shirt and, to her alarm, saw that the gray-purple was lightening into a golden shade. "What in the name of --"

"I wouldn't finish that," Gangrene spoke up. "There are _so_ many ways that could go wrong." She walked over to Khrista and grabbed her hands, watching as the shirt reverted back to the gray-purple.

At the same time, Khrista felt her stomach relax -- even if it was only a little bit.

She looked back at Alak, who had been watching the whole thing with a look of interest on his face. "What do you think's going on, old-timer?"

The Alakazam frowned. _"I am no older than you are,"_ he stated, leveling a spoon at the Gengar. _"However, I do believe I have an inkling as to what is going on here."_

"You do?" Khrista asked, a hopeful smile coming over her face.

 _"Yes. It seems that your body is mimicking the DNA in both Gangrene and myself, much like a Ditto mimics the appearance and abilities of its opponents."_ Alak took a few steps forward himself until he stopped in front of Khrista.

 _This_ time, Khrista definitely felt something wrench in her stomach, like she was being pulled in two directions.

She let out a cry of surprise and pulled out of Gangrene's grip, stumbling back. She tripped and fell onto the pile of blankets and straw, then looked down at her shirt and watched as it turned into its normal red color.

Khrista let out a sigh of relief, then looked back up at Alak and Gangrene with a concerned expression. "What's _happening_ to me?"

The two Pokemon looked at each other, considering what exactly they had seen happen to the human in front of them.

 _"Perhaps it is one of the abilities that appears when some Avatars are brought over,"_ Alak suggested.

Khrista's blue eyes widened a little. "Abilities?"

"Some of you kids are just too weird for this place," Gangrene remarked, shaking her head. "I've heard Goons muttering about kids who turned into Pokemon or had Pokemon abilities, but it's only been a few. Guess they didn't find out about you yet."

" _I_ didn't know until you pointed out that I'd turned into a Dark-Type!" Khrista yelped, panicked.

 _"Calm yourself,"_ Alak stated, raising a spoon. _"It is obvious that you are only just coming into your powers and have little understanding of them. Perhaps, one of us could assist in teaching you about our own Types."_ He started to walk forward.

"Hey!" Gangrene looked miffed. "I should teach her first so that she can sneak around without being noticed!"

 _"She is going to need to know some Psychic techniques,"_ Alak replied calmly, looking back at the Gengar. _"Telepathy will become a vital asset for her."_

"I am right here, you know," Khrista stated, feeling a little irritated. She looked over at Alak. "And you're right. It'll help keep me out of sight, if they're on the lookout for me."

Alak and Gangrene exchanged glances, and the Gengar gained an annoyed expression.

"Fine," she muttered. "But I'm getting her next."

 _"I'm not going to argue that we are the only two who are able to teach her,"_ Alak replied. He turned to face Khrista and approached the brown-haired teenager, who felt something in her gut as her red shirt brightened fully into a gold shade.

"Okay," Khrista muttered, getting into a more comfortable position on the blankets and straw. "I really hope I'm ready for this."

_"If your form thinks you are, then you are."_

**Spacial Break**

"Sir, J-4 has been moved into a cell with M-1 and C-5."

Charon turned to look at the Galactic grunt in front of him and gave a nod. "Good. That should keep him out of trouble until his cell is repaired. But what of M-9? Any news?"

"None, sir." The green-haired man didn't take his eyes off the wall behind Charon to even glance at the scientist. "There was an illegal Teleport that took place between here and J-4's cell, but there hasn't been any Pokemon-like activity since."

The height-challenged scientist clenched his fists so tightly that the clipboard in his hands looked like it was about to snap in two. "You are to take a squad and search this citadel from top to bottom in order to find her," he hissed. "And you are not to rest _until_ you _find_ her."

The grunt finally looked down at Charon and blinked upon seeing that the man was looking somewhat annoyed. He gave a curt nod, then turned and walked out of the room.

Charon let out a frustrated noise, then turned to look at the tall, blue-haired man looking out a brand new window over a gray, frozen landscape. "My apologies. I did not expect there to be a rogue Pokemon to be living here right under my nose. I'll make sure it's caught immediately."

The man turned slightly to look back at Charon for a moment. The scientist saw that there was a look in his eye that shouldn't have been there.

"...Sir?" Charon asked hesitantly.

"That rogue Pokemon you saw may not just be a normal Pokemon," Cyrus stated coldly. The tired look in his eyes made him look even more off-kilter than he might have been in the eyes of non-Galactic Trainers.

"We may have a free Legendary in my citadel." ****


	14. Deep Coronet

"This is where we stop," Dugtrio spoke up, coming to a stop. The three heads rotated to look at the group that had been following behind him. "I will not set foot into Deep Coronet."

"We don't expect you to," Pika replied. He patted one of huge heads while Swamp and Cedar exchanged glances -- _Do Dugtrio_ have _feet?_

Blue looked out beyond the Ground-Type, taking note that the tunnel they had been walking through split in two past a cavern that interrupted the narrow passage.

"Do you know where the tunnels lead?" the Kanto Trainer asked.

"No, we don't, but we can sense that one of the tunnels leads to the surface, and the other goes deeper underground." The Ground-Type motioned to the left and right as he said this. "However, we don't know what is on the other side of the tunnels."

"The cries came from deeper in the mountain," Pika stated, turning to look back at the rest of the group. "I doubt they'd be out where Cyrus and his goonies could see them." He turned to face the cavern again, then started forward.

Swamp started after the Electric-Type as Blue and Gary started forward, only to pause when he felt vibrations travel up his arms and dissipate. He looked over at Cedar, who was starting to frown, as well.

"There's seismic activity occurring somewhere on the mountain," Swamp muttered.

"I sensed that when we first got here," Cedar stated, nodding. "There's something going on. Especially since it doesn't feel like a Ground-Type attack."

"What is it, then?" Blues asked, glancing back at the two Hoenn Pokemon. Gary looked back, as well, a curious frown coming over his face.

Victini, who had been on Gary's shoulder, floated off into the empty air in front of the group. _"There's an energy in the air...one I've felt only a few times back at home...."_ He turned and faced the others. _"There's a Dragon using Draco Meteor on this mountain."_

Swamp and Cedar looked at each other as they left the cavern and started into the right-side tunnel.

"There are a lot of Dragon Pokemon that know that attack," Cedar remarked. "And a lot of them are missing from the Underground."

"One of them is on _my_ team," Swamp stated, a thoughtful frown coming over his face. "He'd said that he knew about the location of a haven....."

The Sceptile shot the Swampert a look. "You can't be serious. You think he's _here?"_

Swamp looked over at the scarred Grass-Type. "I do. He never stayed on the Jhoto Mountains for long, and to rest in hiding _somewhere_."

"Who're you two talking about?" Blue asked, frowning.

"Rayquaza," Swamp replied. "The first Legendary that my Trainer found, and a very powerful one, at that."

"But why would he be using Draco Meteor in here?" Gary demanded. "He's going to cause a tunnel to collapse or something!"

Blue whacked Gary upside the back of the head, getting the Trainer to glare up at him.

"Keep quiet," Blue stated. "We don't know whether or not it is a Rayquaza that is setting off the tremors."

Gary scowled. "I doubt they can here me from here, bro."

"You can never be too sure," Blue replied. He looked up at the cave ceiling. "The Elite Four had eyes and ears everywhere when Lance had his sights set on...other things."

Swamp blinked, then frowned. He didn't know what Blue was referring to, so it must have occurred before he had hatched in Hoenn. The Lance _he_ had heard about was a decent Trainer, not whatever Blue might have been suggesting.

They continued on through the tunnel in silence until Pika stopped and almost caused Gary to trip over the Electric Mouse.

"What in the name of --"

Blue clapped a hand over his younger brother's mouth. "No swearing," he muttered.

Gary yanked Blue's hand off his mouth. "You do it all the time," he muttered.

"Not when we may have younger ears."

Gary looked over at Victini, but Blue grabbed the top of Gary's head and made it tip back to look up at the cave ceiling.

"Golbats," Pika confirmed, getting into a fighting stance. "I was wondering if there were a few of them watching us, but they didn't make their presence known until I saw a flash up there." The Pikachu pointed up at a stalagmite, and something flashed.

Swamp frowned. "Is one of them holding some Shiny Powder?"

"No...." Cedar pointed at the flash as it turned into a steady light. "It looks like a reversed Supersonic, but I don't know anyone who --"

"I do."

Everyone looked over (or up) at Blue, who had his gaze set on the light. "There's no one else who would be able to train their Golbat to do that."

"Who?" Swamp asked.

"Koga."

As soon as Blue said the name, there was a screech and a flurry of wings, and a blue-and-purple flying Pokemon flew off into the tunnel ahead of them and disappeared form sight.

Swamp felt another tremor travel up his limbs, and he looked over at Cedar. "It was stronger this time. I think we're getting close."

Pika looked back at the Swampert and gave a nod. "I felt it that time, as well. And you're right, Cedar -- this isn't a Ground-Type attack."

Cedar gave a nod while Victini gave an excited twirl in the air.

 _"It's a Dragon attack!"_ Victini crowed, clearly sounding excited.

"Something is definitely going on here," Blue muttered. "Come on -- let's go."

"Hey, wai --"

Pika didn't get to finish his sentence, as Blue and Gary dashed forward through the tunnel.

"Headstrong Trainers," the Pikachu muttered, shaking his head. "We'd better go after them before they get into more trouble than we're prepared for."

Swamp nodded in agreement and started to pick up his pace while Cedar did the same. Victini landed on top of Swamp's head as the Water/Ground-Type broke out into his version of a run. However, Cedar moved even faster than the Swampert, and was able to rush ahead with Pika.

At the same time, however, a loud roar suddenly shook the air, causing Swamp and the two Pokemon ahead of him to stumble in surprise.

"That cry...." Pika looked back at Swamp, but didn't get the chance to say anything more, because he was interrupted by a mental voice:

_"Swamp! Cedar! Get over here, you two!"_

Swamp and Cedar went rigid instantly, and they looked at each other.

"Rayquaza!" the two Pokemon exclaimed together.

A moment later, the group went barreling through what remained of the tunnel. Slowly, the tunnel started to lighten up, and then it widened into a cavern with a tall ceiling and lined with torches.

Within the cavern stood a blue dragon with large, red wings, next to a bare-chested, white-bearded man with a rather extravagant coat and ship captain's hat. Across from them, the large green dragon that was Rayquaza was looking down at Gary and Blue with a look of excitement and eagerness.

The Salamence let out a low growl and got into low crouch when it saw the four Pokemon enter the cavern. The sailor placed a hand on the Dragon/Flying-Type's head.

"Easy," the man muttered. "If Ray here called out to 'em, they're probably friends."

The Salamence looked up at his Trainer with a glower, then reluctantly relaxed. "Fine."

"Ray?" Swamp looked over at the man and frowned. "Since when did you know of his old nickname?"

 _"Since I told him,"_ the Rayquaza replied. _"I mean, they had to call me_ something _to help tell me apart from the others around here."_ He grinned, then motioned for the Pokemon to come closer, which they did in a slow, cautious manner. _"So, what are you guys doing down here? I didn't think that you knew about this place."_

"Knew?" Pika repeated. "We found out that there was something going on over here by accident! I gathered a team together to see if there was anything that we should be worried about."

"Well, it is curious when a member of the Hoenn Elite Four was hiding here right under our noses," Blue stated, motioning to the sailor. "Drake, there wouldn't happen to be more of you, would there?"

The sailor gave a smirk. "Wouldn' you like ta know, eh?" He looked up at Ray. "What do you think? Tell 'em?"

Ray shook his head. _"No._ Show _them."_

"Show us what?" Gary asked, impatient.

"You'll see," Drake replied, now with a full-blown grin. "Come on, all of you -- there's quite a few people who are going to want ta see ya." The Elite Four sailor turned and started to walk away from them and deeper into the cavern, Salamence turning and following after him.

Ray looked at the group, grinned, then turned and started after Drake himself.

"What's going on in this place?" Gary muttered, frowning. "I mean, I heard Drake and his buddies got taken by Cyrus, not disappeared into some mountain that we had claimed as off-limits."

"That's just an old wives' tale that got spread 'round by a Frontier Tower Tycoon's Cresselia," Drake called back to the muttering teenager. "Like how your little rumor about the Underground was found early on and taken down?"

"We never asked a Pokemon for that," Blue spoke up. "Geetz rounded up every Ghost-Type in the area and had them pretend to be vengeful spirits. No Galactic member comes near Old Sandgem, now."

There was the sound of a deep-throated laugh from one of the Dragon Pokemon, and it took Swamp a moment to realize that it was Salamence.

"I remember that Gengar," the Dragon/Flying-Type stated. "I met him some time after White helped us against Magma and Aqua. He's...strange, but smart. I think White trusted him more when he was on his own than when he was on her team."

The cavern split, and Drake led the group down the larger, taller tunnel, which sloped downward and turned a gentle corner.

"Where are we going?" Cedar asked, looking around cautiously at the cave walls. "I do not want to be trapped down here if I don't know where we are."

"A cautious one, aren't ya?" Drake asked. He clearly sounded humored. "We're headin' to a meetin' place. I was about ta go there anyway for some emergency thingy, but then you showed up an' I got delayed."

The Pokemon and Trainers from the Underground exchanged glances as they continued through the tunnel. Ray, seeing the looks that Swamp and the others were exchanging, twitched his tail in amusement.

After a couple of minutes, the tunnel leveled out and enlarged again, becoming an even larger cavern than the one they had been in before. There were some murmurings coming from within the cavern, but these were quickly shushed when Drake entered the cavern with his guests.

Swamp and Cedar came around from the back of the group and stopped next to Drake and Salamence in order to get a better look at the area they had just set foot in. The Hoenn natives' eyes widened in surprised when they saw who else was hiding in the mountain.

"No way...." Swamp looked at the long, stone table that sat in the center of the room, his eyes scanning the figures sitting -- or standing -- around the table. "This is impossible."

"No, it isn't," Drake replied, grinning. He turned to face the table and it's occupants again as one figure strode forward, cape flapping out behind him. "Hey, Lance. I found us a few kids from the haven next door. Would you believe that we've been livin' next to the Underground?"

The spiky, red-haired Jhoto Champion looked around the group that Drake had amassed around him, then up at the Hoenn Legendary who was grinning like a madman.

"These two are friends of yours, aren't they?" Lance asked, motioning to Swamp and Cedar.

Ray nodded. _"Swamp is a part of my team, and Cedar leads a rival team. I know them both very well."_ The snake-like dragon bent down so that his head was next to the pair of Kanto Trainers. _"And these two are famous enough in their own right as Trainers."_

Lance gave a nod, then motioned for the group to follow him before starting back towards the table. The others followed after him and collected themselves around the table at random locations.

"So, to what do we owe the pleasure?" asked an auburn-haired young woman with glasses and a large white seal with a horn curled around her chair.

"A Dugtrio told us there was something going on here and I came to investigate," Pika replied as he jumped onto the table. "We thought that it might have been the Goons, not the collective Elite Fours from all the regions."

"Or the Champions," Blue added, turning his gaze to eye a eighteen-year-old teenage boy with a red and white baseball cap and a Pikachu on his shoulder.

The receiving end of the look smirked and wagged a finger. "Remember, Blue, White's technically the Champion of all these regions -- not us." He motioned to the other figures sitting on either side of him. "And she isn't here."

"She'll come," Pika stated seriously, tapping his badge. "I'd stake our Guild on it."

"It's hard to say that when we're in the situation that we are," Gary muttered. Blue whacked him upside the back of the head, producing a yell of complaint.

"White's always been an odd one," Blue stated. "She'll pull through."

_"Blue is right. White will not leave us to flounder like this unless she has to."_

There was a flash of light above the table, and three figures appeared there, hovering practically back-to back as they looked down at the figures sitting at the tables.

 _"White will reappear when she is capable of doing so,"_ a certain yellow-headed sprite finished.

The collective Elite Fours and Champions jumped to their feet in shock and surprise, but only Lance looked like he knew what was going on.

"This is why I had to call all of you in," the Dragon Trainer stated, motioning to the three small Pokemon above their heads. "These three appeared to me and told me that something big had recently happened in the citadel."

Swamp shifted from foot to foot. "I've heard of this. They told my team, Aurora, and Chaos of this before we reached the Underground."

"They did?" Salamence looked at the Water/Ground-Type in surprise.

 _"We didn't inform you of everything, Swamp,"_ Merlin the Uxie warned. _"There was one piece of information which we left out."_

"What are you talking about?" Pika asked, frowning. "And does this have anything to do with why you are freed?"

 _"Indeed. You may thank Arctic for freeing us."_ Lien the Mesprit nodded to Red, who stared at the Lake Spirits in surprise. _"However, that is not the only piece of news that we brought to Swamp."_ She turned to look at the mentioned Swampert. _"Would like to inform them?"_

Swamp blinked in surprise when the entire group of humans and Pokemon present turned their heads to look at him. After regaining his composure, he took a few steps forward and placed his front paws on the table.

"My Trainer is not being controlled by Cyrus."

The statement seemed to cause time to freeze in the room -- which was nearly impossible, considering that the world had been messed up enough as it was.

"How is that possible?" Lorelei asked, surprised. "We've heard enough from the towers that --"

 _"While most children are under his control, there are a few who managed to avoid the spell-casting that came with it,"_ Merlin stated calmly. _"Khrista is not the only one, even though she was the only one we were able to make sure that would not be harmed by Cyrus. There are two others who have managed to escape his control, as well."_

"Who?" Cedar asked instantly, coming forward to place his paws on the stone table. "Is one of them Joshua?"

Once again, the room seemed to pause. The Lake Spirits looked at each other, then back at the Sceptile.

The blue-headed sprite, who had yet to speak, flew over to Cedar and stopped on front of him.

 _"Your Trainer is safe, but at a cost,"_ the Azelf stated grimly. _"Chaos attempted to stop Cyrus himself by invading and sabotaging with a friend. He succeeded in rescuing Joshua, but at the price of his companion's freedom. In leaving that place, we were forced...to capture....."_

The little Legendary didn't look like he wanted to continue, and he looked back at Merlin and Lien.

 _"Jewels, you were the one who was there,"_ Merlin stated with a shake of his head. _"I cannot take over for you in this."_

Jewels looked a little distressed, and he slowly turned to look back at Cedar. _"Your teammate Jirachi was taken."_

In the shocked silence that followed, Jewels quickly retreated to Merlin and Lien, remaining there and looking oddly nervous.

 _"That's almost as bad as the idea of them getting me,"_ Victini noted from his perch on Swamp's head. The little V-shaped Legendary became wide-eyed at the thought.

"Victini!" barked a voice, sounding surprised. At the other end of the table, a young girl with wild, dark purple hair going all over the place stood up and slammed her hands down on the table. "Do you have any idea how much we've been worrying over you?!"

A small, green Pokemon with tusks sticking out on either side of its mouth jumped up into the table and cried out in agreement.

Victini caught sight of the girl and let out a squeak and ducked behind Swamp's cranial fin. _"Eep! Iris!"_

"Get over here, you little troublemaker!" Iris yelled. She made as to climb up onto the table. However, a man with white hair and a beard that completely covered his mouth like a dragon's lower jaw grabbed the back of Iris' pink, frilly dress and dragged her back into her seat.

"Calm yourself," the man stated calmly. "Victini was obviously safe with allies."

"We could have used his help on a couple raids, Drayden," Iris argued, turning to look at the man.

Drayden glared down at Iris. Swamp didn't see the full-blown glare, but he could tell that Iris didn't want to stand against it. She glared back at him, then looked away and sat down in her chair again, pouting.

 _"Khrista and Joshua -- the two Avatars we have just named -- are not the only ones who have managed to escape Cyrus' mental torment,"_ Lien stated quickly. _"There is a girl who arrived, went through the machine, and came out the other end with a_ sword _and blasted Cyrus and Ash in the face with a Hydro Pump."_

The Mesprit grinned at the looks of surprise she got. _"I know! They stuck her with one of the other kids and tried to take away her weapon away. The sword kept reappearing in her hand, though, so they just dropped her with the first kid they had dragged in."_

 _"Khrista, Joshua, and a strange girl who calls herself Mist all have the chance to cause havoc and destroy the citadel from the inside out,"_ Merlin stated. _"However, that will not be enough to cause Cyrus to fall. They will need someone to work from the outside_ in _."_

Swamp, upon hearing this, stood a little straighter. "I'd be willing to help. My Trainer didn't need to get dragged into this."

"I'll help, as well," Cedar stated.

 _"And don't forget about me,"_ Ray stated seriously. _"I know I haven't done much besides teach other Dragon-Types to use Draco Meteor, but I want to help take this guy_ down _!"_

The Pokemon that were sitting next to the Elite Four and Champions called out in agreement to Ray's statement.

"It's not going to be easy," Lance warned.

"Aye," Drake agreed. "Cyrus has enough Pokemon to rival the numbers in the seas. We're going to need more than this motley group in order to take Spiky down."

"I think I can solve that!" Pika raised a paw from his position on the table. "I run an Exploration Guild that's been doing rescues and raids ever since we set up shop in the Underground. There's plenty of Pokemon there who would be more than willing to help take down the guy who's made our jobs harder, believe me."

"And the Trainers and Gym Leaders we have on our side would be more than willing to help!" Gary added, grinning.

"I think Professor Birch would want to take on the entire citadel himself," Blue remarked, smirking. "He probably thinks he can take on the world at this point."

"Like Dad could ever do that!" called out a teenage girl with blue eyes who had a blue bandanna on her head.

"My dad, maybe," added an identical girl with green eyes and a red bandanna on her head. "It's probably gotten really bad if Professor Birch thinks he can handle that."

The two Fire/Fighting-Type, feathered figures behind the two girls nodded in agreement.

Lance looked over at the two girls and nodded himself before looking back at Blue. "We should send a group to your Underground so that the Professors know that they aren't alone in this. Just a few Trainers should be more than enough."

At once, everyone stood up from their chairs and called, "Take me!"

"We can't take everyone," Drayden growled, looking around. "Some of us have to stay here to guard our own."

"Deep Coronet is connected to the Underground, so we can have a steady flow of Trainers through the tunnels if you really want to go back and forth," Pika spoke up. "A welcome committee would be all right, though."

"I think I'll have to go, then," Red spoke up. "Professor Oak is going to want to know how I'm doing."

"And his mom, too," Gary muttered under his breath, but no one said anything to add to his statement.

Swamp, however, did give the Kanto Trainer a curious look, but chose to say nothing.

"Sapphire, Ruby, you two should go, too," Drake spoke up, looking to the blue-bandanna girl and a boy with a white hat with a red stripe along the bottom. "Norman an' Birch are probably wonderin' where you and your siblings have gone."

"Wouldn't put it past him," Ruby muttered, exchanging a glance with the girl with the red bandanna.

"Steven, you should go, too," Lance added.

The gray-haired young man with a Metagross behind him looked over at the Jhoto Champion and gave a nod.

 _"We will go, as well,"_ Merlin stated, nodding to the Pokemon and their Trainers below. _"Professor Rowan will want to hear from us."_ The other two Lake Spirits nodded in agreement.

"Then it's settled," Pika stated. "Let's head back to the Underground."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now you see why I just said "a whole lot of Pokemon Trainers/Gym Leaders/etc" in the tags. I pull in *everybody.*


	15. Training in the art of camouflage

_"Remember, Khrista, the only reason we're allowing you to do this is because you need to copy more Types to expand your ability."_

"I know, Alak," Khrista replied, turning to look back at the Psychic-Type. "I'll stay out of sight while I'm messing around out there." She placed her hand on the ventilation grate that sat in a corner of the blank room, then raised her hand up.

An energy field suddenly surrounded the grate, and it started to shake as the screws that held the grate in place were unscrewed one by one. The grate was pulled forward when the last screw came loose, and it was moved over and placed behind the pile of blankets.

"I'll probably end up moving to the ceiling and staying there as much as possible while I look for another Type to be," Khrista added. Her shirt shifted from gold to the shadowy-purple, and her entire form started to dissolve and slip into the ventilation pipe as nothing more than a low-lying fog.

As the brown-haired teenager left, she heard Gangrene sigh and say, "Now there goes an expert!"

Khrista soon found that traveling through the vents was different than taking leisurely laps around the storage room that Alak and Gangrene had called home. Within seconds, she was being tugged in several different directions when as soon as she reached a crossroads of sorts with the pipes.

"The question is, though, which way?" Khrista's voice muttered from somewhere in the purplish cloud. "And I'm not going to go in all directions." The cloud bunched up in the center of the intersection point, occasional branches reaching out into different tunnels. However, these branches had flashes of gold appear in them almost as soon as they nearly separated from the main cloud.

_"According to my calculations, the --"_

_Nope. No way I'm going that way. Sounds like a bunch of scientist Galactic nerds._ Khrista turned her attention another direction, but heard a large amount of screaming from a female voice.

_"Let me go, you overgrown --"_

_No way. Sounds like there's a dirty mouth in there._ _Next tunnel._

Khrista moved one ventilation pipe to the right and curiously prodded the minds on the other side.

Nothing except for a weird chant that sounded like it was in an entirely different language that Khrista didn't recognize.

 _Huh? Who's over there?_ Khrista bunched her cloudy self together and started down the ventilation pipe. _Do they have different languages in this place? Or is this someone from my world?_

Surprisingly, the pipe she had chosen was actually pretty short, and she didn't meet any air resistance as she moved towards the grate at the end. It wasn't long before she managed to slip out of the grate and float up to the ceiling.

And Khrista was glad to get up to the ceiling, because the entire floor was covered in the kids from her hometown, a collection of Pokemon, and Galactic grunts standing next to each and every kid.

 _Is_ this _what they do every day?_ Khrista asked herself. If she had been solid, she would have frowned at what she was seeing. _I'd better have a look around to find those other Types that I can copy without being seen._

The cloud coiled together a little tighter, then started to actually become a shape and solidify into Khrista's human form.

 _Stay a Ghost-Type, stay a Ghost-Type,_ Khrista thought to herself frantically, keeping her reforming eyes shut tightly. _I don't care if it tickles, you have to concentrate or else you are_ going to fall _. Alak covered this. We went over this a million times._

The purple-gray-colored human finally solidified as the proper color returned to the proper places. When Khrista finally opened her eyes again, she was floating close to the ceiling with a purple-gray shirt and purple wisps coming off the soles of her shoes.

"Okay," Khrista muttered under her breath. "Now, let's see what's going on down here."

Her gaze moved around the room, taking note of the ventilation pipes that ran across the ceiling and the lights that were embedded in the cold, gray material. That didn't give her that many places to hide if anyone decided to look up, but the pipes weren't glued to the ceiling directly, so hiding _there_ wouldn't necessarily be a problem.

It was the activity on the floor that was troubling Khrista even more than finding a hiding problem.

Khrista started to circle the room, looking down at the Grunts, humans, and Pokemon that were doing...whatever it was on the floor below.

"I'd better find those Pokemon Types I wanted to copy," Khrista murmured. She continued to circle, watching for a Pokemon Type that she would think to be useful out of all the bunch that was out and about.

 _There's Matthew,_ Khrista noted, eyeing her neighbor. The tall boy was standing next to Charon, who was making notes on his clipboard while looking up occasionally at two Pokemon that were in the middle of a sparring match. The girl instantly identified them as a Torchic and a Riolu.

 _Fire and Fighting...do I?_ The brown-haired girl shook her head. _No. I'd end up falling down there and who knows what would happen then._ She flew over the group, purposefully flying around the air that was directly above Charon's and Matthew's heads.

Khrista had managed to make it halfway around the room before she caught sight of something -- or someone -- that made her stop short in shock.

 _S-silver?_ she mentally gasped.

Catching sight of a certain red-headed teen was more than enough to cause Khrista to lose her concentration and start to drop through the air.

"No, no, no," Khrista muttered, glaring back up at the ceiling. She clenched her fists and concentrated on staying in the air. Her falling slowed, and the blue-eyed teen was able to get back up to her previous altitude.

Khrista looked back down at the red-headed teen below, standing with his arms crossed while also being surrounded by Galactic grunts. If he had any PokeBalls on him, she couldn't tell, but she did see that he wasn't wearing a Galactic uniform like Ash had been -- she took his black shirt and scowling face as a hopeful sign that he wasn't under Cyrus' control.

Then she caught sight of a red, black, and yellow Pokemon scuttling around on the ground nearby, and her eyes widened slightly.

_Ariados -- a Bug/Poison-Type. Bugs can crawl around on walls, can't they?_

Khrista floated over to a section of wall near where the spider was wandering around. As soon as she had a hand on the cold wall, she turned her attention to the Jhoto Pokemon and glared at it.

As soon as she started to look intensely at the spider, the Ariados looked up and in her direction. Khrista started to feel something in her gut then, and the Bug/Poison-Type took a few steps forward.

Khrista suddenly felt herself starting to fall, and she quickly grabbed for the wall to see if there were any handholds to keep her from falling to the ground. As soon as her hands and toes had connected with the wall, though, she suddenly stopped short.

The brown-haired teen heard a chuckle rom somewhere below her, and she turned her head slowly to see who exactly it had been who had made the noise.

"You're quite odd for a Ditto," the Ariados stated from below, clicking his pincers together. "I haven't seen one take human form and still copy abilities like that."

Khrista looked down at her shirt and noticed that it was a really light shade of green. She looked back at the Ariados. "Don't tell anyone that I'm here, please."

The Jhoto spider moved his head to one side. "And why not? I can do as I please here."

Khrista swallowed, trying to gather her thoughts together so that she could tell the Ariados a proper answer.

 _Any Pokemon will do what you ask them if you speak to them in a polite and respectful manner,_ Gangrene's voice echoed in Khrista's head. _Or, you can just make yourself look as formidable as possible and scare them into doing what you want._

A mad cackle trailed off in Khrista's mind as she managed to come up with what she wanted to say.

"I'm not supposed to be here, and I'd prefer it if no one knew it," Khrista spoke in as confident a tone as possible. "You're going to be the only one in this room who knows."

The Ariados' head moved from its cocked position to a more inclined one as he looked up at the figure above him. "How will I know that you will keep your word?"

"I'll leave right now, and no one will know." Khrista hoped that was a sufficient answer.

The Pokemon below her cocked his head again, then gave a slight nod. "Go. I'll be watching you."

Khrista gave a nod, then turned her attention to the wall and started climbing, occasionally stopping to either make sure she wasn't switching to a different Type or to see if the Ariados was still watching her.

He still had his large, black eyes on her, even when she reached the ceiling and disappeared from sight behind a ventilation pipe.

As soon as Khrista managed to get directly above the pipe, she found a steel cable and grabbed it, sliding down to land on top of the pipe. The steel creaked a little, but didn't give under her weight.

Cautiously, the teen's blue eyes looked over both sides of the pipes, trying to see if there was anyone below her that she might recognize besides Matthew and Silver.

_::What are you doing, cousin?::_

The brown-haired girl nearly jumped out of her shoes when she heard the voice. She looked around quickly, then remembered the device that was hiding in her left ear. Placing her left hand to her ear, she asked, "Why do you want to know about what I'm doing?"

_::I'm standing next to the wall you just climbed up. Why do you think I asked?::_

Khrista turned slightly, doing her best to keep all of her limbs on top of the pipe. When she had fully turned around and looked down the way she had come up, her eyes widened slightly.

Leaning against the wall with chains around his wrists and ankles was the brown-haired, hazel-eyed teen who she had run into some time ago.

"What are you doing here?" Khrista asked in a low hiss, putting her hand back over her ear. The nose of Pokemon cries was starting to become unbearable; did all Bug-Types have this good of hearing?

_::They've got me waiting here until my cell's repaired -- or arrange for other accommodations. I saw your shirt change color. What is it that you can do?::_

"Like I'm going to tell you," Khrista snapped back. "Who else is down there besides Silver and one of my neighbors?"

_::Which neighbor?::_

"The one who's standing next to the short doofus."

Below, Joshua cracked a smile, and Khrista was surprised to see that she could see it clearly, even from her position on the ventilation pipe. _::I see you don't have much of a love for scientists. Good. I'll tell you who else is here. The younger two of the 'one next to the doofus' family are here, but not the second-eldest. There's a couple girls from your school, too, probably, and there are a Torchic and a Riolu that have numbers for names, as well. I'm not sure about everybody else, but you'll probably have to come back before you can identify all of them::_

Khrista blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of what it was that her cousin had just said. She settled for an annoyed frown.

"Can you speak even _more_ sarcastically?" she growled.

_::There are eyes and ears everywhere down here. You'd better get going before that Ariados goes back on his word::_

Khrista blinked upon hearing the statement, then frowned again. "Yeah. Right." She settled a little closer to the pipe and concentrated on shifting her Type.

The bright green shimmered for a moment, then changed to the golden shade.

Khrista shut her eyes tightly. "Send me back to Alak's Haven."

There was a bright flash, and she felt a wrenching in her gut as the Teleport took action. A moment later, she felt herself land on something soft, and the teen opened her blue eyes.

"Well?" Gangrene asked, coming over. Alak wasn't far behind her.

"I found a new Type to work with, but I didn't have much of a choice," Khrista replied as she started to get to her feet. "The Bug-Type was the first one in the room that I actually managed to copy that wouldn't have ended up having me falling and showing myself."

Alak frowned. _"Bug-Type? Surely there were Flying-Types in there, as well."_

"I didn't see any." Khrista shook her head, then remembered what else she had seen. "But I did learn something about who it is that they pulled from my world and from outside this building."

Gangrene's eyes widened, as did her Cheshire Cat grin. "Oh? What did you find?"

"Silver's trapped in here, for one," Khrista started. Then she frowned. "Then I got this really cryptic sentence from your Trainer."

The Gengar and the Alakazam looked at each other in surprise, then back at Khrista.

 _"What did he say?"_ Alak inquired.

"Something about 'two of the younger siblings of the First One, but not the second eldest'. Then he mentioned that there were two girls that were probably from my school and a Torchic and a Riolu." Khrista shrugged helplessly. "I'm not exactly sure what he means."

Alak frowned slightly. _"Who was the first one here?"_

Khrista blinked. "The one next to the short doofus --"

Gangrene let out a howl of a laugh. "Short doofus! Oh, I'll have to use that!"

"--who would have to be a boy from across my street," Khrista finished, sending a look over at the Gengar.

_"Does he have any siblings?"_

Khrista frowned. "Uh...yeah, he does. He's been trying to get a band together with his sister maybe and a couple other kids from school. They've been trying to get Joshua and me in on it, but I haven't really been all that interested lately."

 _"How many siblings?"_ Alak pressed.

"Two girls and a boy, why?"

"Which one's the second eldest?" Gangrene asked.

"A girl. She's about my age and her name's --"

 _"Don't,"_ Alak stated. _"That is not information we need to know at this time."_

"Then why were you asking me?" Khrista responded, starting to feel annoyed.

_"To discover the first part of our Trainer's riddle. The first Trainer who was brought here had his brother and sister follow him. The other sister remains at home."_

Khrista blinked, then her eyes widened as the Alakazam's words sunk in. "But...that doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't?" Gangrene asked. Her toothy grin suddenly turned upside down.

"No. All four of them play the games. In fact, it's...the second-eldest who kinda got them really tuned into it in the first place."

The two Pokemon looked at each other again, exchanging odd looks.

"Do you think --" Gangrene started.

 _"We don't know for sure,"_ Alak interrupted. _"Only time will be able to tell us, and even that is near-impossible now thanks to Cyrus' meddling."_ He turned to look at Khrista, who was frowning in confusion at the both of them. _"There is something that is of vital importance that I believe you are now ready to hear."_

Khrista blinked as a blank look came over her face. "What is it?"

"There is a place that the two of us know about that our Trainer, who has remained in these walls ever since he got here, hasn't heard about yet," Gangrene began, grinning again. "And it's hiding literally beneath our feet."

"What is it?" Khrista asked. She could feel excitement building up within her, but she wanted to make sure that it was actually going to be out to good use rather than suddenly drop her to rock bottom when it wasn't actually a good thing.

 _"It is...."_ Alak hesitated for a moment, looking down at his spoons. _"It is a rebel underground."_

Khrista's eyes widened, and a grin finally broke out across her face. "There's an actual resistance group? One that managed to stay under Cyrus' radar?"

Gangrene nodded. "There are safe havens hiding all over the planet in different regions, where people and Pokemon managed to escape Cyrus before he could find them. We used to live in one, but we snuck into the citadel because it was starting to get boring." She grinned. "And then we found our Trainer, and it's been one adventure after another!"

"And no one else knows you're here?" Khrista asked.

Alak shook his head. _"No one but our Trainer and yourself."_

"OK, then." Khrista took in a breath, trying to sort through her now-frantic thoughts and many questions. "So, where's this safe haven of yours located?"

Gangrene pointed down. "Directly below this skyscraper, and spread as far as the other side of the PokeBall Graveyard. To be literal, they're directly beneath our feet."

Khrista was surprised. "Whoa." She looked down at the cold metal beneath her feet. "And they don't dig up and attack Cyrus from below?"

"That's what some of the Pokemon and Trainers want to do, but it's almost impossible, considering the amount of security they have up all around the building." Gangrene stated with a wave of a paw. "Honestly, how Arctic managed to get in close and free the Lake Spirits, I have no clue."

"Arctic..." Khrista murmured. "You mean Articuno, right?" She frowned. "Where did you hear about that?"

"Well, we have to go down there once in a while to gather supplies and information." The Gengar gave what might have been a thoughtful smile, but it looked much more mischievous than thoughtful. "I think the last time I was down there, I heard a rumor from a couple Plasma kids about how the Elite Fours and Champions of every region were hiding out in Mt. Coronet...."

Khrista's eyes widened, and she grinned hugely. "Oh, boy. If we can figure out a way to have a three-way attack on this place, then Cyrus' forces are gonna be hammered!"


	16. Return to the Underground

"Birch, those kids have been gone for far too long," Rowan warned, turning his dark, serious eyes to the man next to him. "They might have been discovered."

"Or, they could have found the Elite Fours!" Birch countered, turning to look at the Sinnoh Professor. "They could be conversing with them and..." The still rather ragged-looking Hoenn Professor paused. "...and time flew by."

"But about two hours?" Oak asked with a frown. "Even I would like to stay optimistic, old friend, but I don't know if that's possible."

The three region professors were standing near the tunnel that led to Mt. Coronet, between the two surrogate Gym buildings. At this point in the day, both Gyms were crackling with electricity as Volkner and Lt. Surge answered "the call of duty": two Trainers -- one with a Swampert, a Wiscash, and a Quagsire, and the other had a Golem, a Gigalith, and a Sandslash.

Birch frowned. "I highly doubt that they've run into any sort of trouble," he stated. "Cyrus got what he wanted, so he shouldn't want anything to do with that old mountain anymore at this point."

"Then why do you think he left it there?" Rowan countered. "Because, as the myths state, that's where the world began, to that's where he began his. That mountain may still have some importance left to him." The Sinnoh professor let out a sigh. "I wouldn't be surprised if Pika and the others ran into trouble in Deep Coronet."

There suddenly came the sound of something hitting against the smooth, rock floor of the tunnel. The noise gained the Professors' attention, and each turned to face the tunnel while reaching for a belt of PokeBalls that hid under their lab coats.

Dugtrio zoomed out of the tunnel like he'd been shot out of a cannon, leaving a sloppy rut behind him. "We've got company!" the Ground-Type exclaimed.

Much to the professors' surprise, the Pokemon the grinning.

"What sort of company?" Rowan inquired, frowning.

"My kind of company."

The three professors looked at the tunnel, eyes widening in surprise when they saw who had spoken.

"Hey, Prof," Red said, grinning at Professor Oak as he stepped out of the tunnel. "Long time, no see. How have you guys been doing?"

"Been keeping Trainers busy, I see," added the Pikachu sitting on the red-eyed boy's shoulder. The Electric-Type looked around, his ears twitching. "There's a lot of electricity around here...."

Taking note of the professors' speechless, astonished looks, Red continued, "And I'm not the only one Blue found, either." The Kanto Champion stepped to one side, letting the other figures standing behind him step into the light of the Underground.

"Professors," stated a gray-haired young man in greeting. He gave a nod to the three men, one of whom was definitely not composed enough to keep his jaw from dropping in shock. "It's good to see you're still alive and well."

"We've done what we can," Oak spoke up in reply. He looked over at the two other figures who were still standing in the shadows yet. "And who else did you bring with you?"

"They should be able to introduce themselves," came Blue's voice from behind the two figures.

Something clearly pushed the two figures forward, forcing them into the light. Swamp came out from behind and stood next to the two Trainers, looking somewhat amused and pleased with himself.

Birch's eyes widened, and his lower jaw promptly snapped up. "N-no...it can't be...."

"Hi, Dad," the blue-eyed girl stated, giving a slight smile and a wave. If one looked closely enough, they could see the sharpened incisors that clearly weren't part of an average human's array of teeth. "It's been a while."

Birch blinked rapidly, his gaze going between the blue-eyed, brown-haired girl and the boy with ruby-red eyes and a white hat on top of his head. When the Hoenn Professor had finished looking between the two of them in shock, he barreled forward and embraced the two at once. It looked like Birch was about to break down in tears.

Red grinned and tipped back his baseball cap at the sight. "Glad to see Professor Birch is still in one piece," he remarked lightly. "Ruby, you might want to go find your dad."

The boy with the white hat moved his head and looked over at the Kanto Champion with a dry look. "Gee, ya think?" he asked in an equally dry voice.

Birch chuckled and released the two Trainers from his bear hug and clapped Ruby on the shoulder. "I know where Norman is. It shouldn't be too hard to convince him that you are actually here."

 _"Or of the rest of our company,"_ Victini spoke up. The little V-shaped Legendary flew up from behind Swamp, then turned around to look at the dark tunnel. _"Come on out, guys!"_

 _"You need not worry whether we come out or not, Victini,"_ came a second voice. Merlin flew out of the tunnel, followed by Jewels and Lien. The being of Will clearly looked like was starting to enjoy himself now.

The three Professors present stiffened upon seeing the Lake Spirits. Oak quickly started to reach for his PokeBalls again.

 _"Calm yourselves,"_ Lien stated, holding up her paws. _"We are not under anyone's control but our own."_

 _"We came here to see if there's anything we can do to help,"_ Jewels added, grinning. _"The Underground and Deep Coronet are the only havens in the area that are actually up and running, and we want to make sure that they stay that way until Cyrus eats dirt!"_

"Jewels, calm yourself," Swamp rumbled.

The blue-headed fairy waved off the statement. _"Yeah, yeah."_

Oak relaxed cautiously, removing his hand from his belt. "How --"

 _"Arctic decided she had spent enough time sitting on her feathers,"_ Lien explained. _"And I believe that same feeling is shared among other Pokemon and humans."_ She looked back at Swamp, who lowered his head a little as Pika scrambled up on top of it.

"All the Pokemon and Trainers in Deep Coronet are members of the Elite Four and either Champions in White's absence or apprentices of some sort," the Explorer Pokemon explained. He readjusted his red scarf, fingering his winged PokeBall badge for a moment. "The tunnels connect us directly to a training room where Khrista's Rayquaza taught other Dragon-Types Draco Meteor. From there, it branches into living quarters and --"

"Did you say apprentices?" Birch asked in surprise.

Red nodded, a smirk appearing on his face. "Yup. Black and his cousin, Trip, have been training with the Unova Elite Four practically around the clock. Saph here has been working with Brendan under Juan and Drake, and Ruby and May have been training with Will and Lorelei."

"We can take on Cyrus and knock him out of his tower!" Gary yelled from the tunnel. He pushed his way out between Ruby and Sapphire, who gave him a glare. Blue appeared from the darkness with Cedar the Sceptile behind Swamp.

"Attack Cyrus? Gary, have you lost your senses?!" Oak spluttered.

"Actually, Grandfather, he hasn't," Blue spoke up. "The Elite Four Trainers have been itching for action, and the Lake Spirits suspect that we may be able to attack soon, if we manage to come up with something."

Merlin nodded. _"We have three allies on the inside who can assist us: Khrista, Joshua, and Mist."_

_"They have retained their free will and are more than willing to strike out when the time comes. However, we will need to make contact with them and speak with them in order to make this work."_

"Do you mean to tell us that you already have a plan?" Professor Birch inquired, his excitement building.

 _"It's still a little rough around the edges,"_ Jewels admitted. _"And there is a large amount of information we don't have yet, like how many Pokemon and Trainers are available for the attack, as well as their strengths."_

 _I'm sure that you have some ideas for those statistics,"_ Merlin added.

The professors exchanged glances their thoughts clear on their faces. Eventually, Professor Birch looked back at the group, a huge grin on his face.

"Where do you want to start?" the Hoenn professor asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapter lengths really like to fluctuate.


	17. Down Time, part 1

_::Raze. Raze!::_

Khrista groggily lifted her head from the pile of blankets. She blinked blearily, then widened her blue eyes and moved her left hand to the corresponding ear. "Jo--"

_::No. Call me Boggart -- I'm piggybacking on the Galactics' comm signal, and I don't know if they're listening in or not::_

"Then _why_ did you make a comm link in the first place?!" Khrista demanded as she started to get to her feet. She looked down at her shirt, grabbing the hem and pulling it out while watching the color change from gold to red. The shirt's original color was starting to look kinda dull....

 _::I_ had _to because I wanted to be able to keep in contact with you and anyone else who might be in our position. Where are you now?::_

"In hiding." Khrista looked around the empty storeroom. "Kinda was taking a nap, Boggy."

 _::That's Boggart::_ Joshua sounded irritated. _::Make sure you use the full code name::_

"Yeah, yeah." Khrista flopped back down in too the blankets and straw. "Is there a reason you decided to hunt me down?"

_::Yeah. I've been hearing the Galactics complain about a recent increase in wild Pokemon activity. There could be a chance that there are Pokemon out there who are fighting against this::_

"It kinda looks like that bad future thing in one of the non-Trainer games," Khrista remarked. "I was out there when I got dragged in."

 _::Really?::_ Joshua sounded actually surprised.

"Yeah. It's pretty bad."

 _::...this is worse than I thought::_ Joshua's voice faded for a moment, but Khrista could still hear him somewhat. _::Mist, come in!::_

The response was immediate -- and loud. _::What now, you little --::_

_::Enough with the insults already. It doesn't suit you::_

Khrista heard grumbling on the louder line. _::Fine. What's going on, Boggart?::_

_::Raze said the outdoors look like the paralyzed planet::_

There was an interested noise. _::Oh. Now_ that _makes sense. Especially since it feels like different speeds of time are taking place at once::_

"I don't feel that very much," Khrista spoke up.

 _::You're not the one who came herself::_ snapped an irritable reply.

"Came by --"

 _::This isn't something we can discuss now::_ Joshua spoke up seriously. _::We have to figure out a way to collaborate and take this citadel down::_

 _::Boggart, if it's just the three of us, we won't be able to even make a_ dent _::_

Khrista sat a little straighter against the wall as an idea started to come to her. "I think that we might not have to be the only ones. I've heard there are groups _outside._ "

There was a pause on the other ends of the communication link.

 _::Raze, that knowledge is dangerous::_ Joshua said darkly.

 _::Where'd you hear about that?::_ Mist demanded. _::This isn't stuff that you should have --::_

 _::I think I know::_ Joshua let out a sigh. _::There are eyes and ears everywhere -- both their side and ours. I wouldn't be surprised if....::_

_::If what?::_

_::I'll tell you later -- when we're on a more secure channel. Boggart out::_

_::Mist out::_

"Raze out," Khrista muttered. She dropped her hand from her left ear and collapsed her weight fully against the wall behind her. " _Well_."

There was a bright flash in front of her, and two figures materialized.

"We're back!" Gangrene called out as she and Alak materialized in the storeroom. Her grin faded slightly into a frown when she saw the exhausted look the was on Khrista's face. "What's up?"

"Joshua just contacted me," Khrista replied. "Same with some kid named Mist. Any idea who that is?"

 _"Mist is another child who is not under the effects of Cyrus' control,"_ Alak replied calmly. He made a motion with one hand, and a pile of five boxes hovering next to him flew off and landed in an unused corner. _"She has insisted that she be called that because she dislikes the number she was given. No one knows her real name except for herself."_

Khrista blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Really? Huh."

Gangrene nodded, but then her grin suddenly widened. "I went down to have a quick peek at what the...well, what the other groups are up to. You will not _believe_ what's going down!"

Khrista blinked, not quite sure what the Gengar was talking about. Then, a moment later, she remembered what the Ghost/Poison-Type had been talking about some time ago.

"What's going on?" Khrista asked, frowning. "Are they starting to get ready to move in on this place?"

Gangrene let out a cackle. "No! Not even close. But we've got two groups together, and it's starting to hear up down there! I think they may be planning something, though, especially if old man Birch is at the head of it!"

Khrista blinked in confusion, but she didn't receive an explanation for Gangrene's choice of words. Instead, the Gengar continued to talk about what had happened.

"The Elite Fours and Champions are _finally_ showing up," Gangrene stated quickly. "They've got a couple disgruntled Trainers and a _lot_ of angry Pokemon on their side, so it'll only be a matter of time before this whole place goes crashing to the ground!"

The Gengar cackled again, clearly pleased with herself.

Khrista's eyes widened while the Pokemon. "Whoa. We'd better get ready and figure something out before they start in on us."

 _"We don't need to rush things,"_ Alak replied calmly. _"Joshua is considering his options and is deciding on possible actions as we speak. I doubt that anything you could say or do anything that could assist him at this point in time."_

"I'm the only human who's wandering around freely," Khrista responded. "He's going to be talking to me occasionally in order to figure out as much as he can. If I can help my cousin in any way, I will. He can't come up with anything just by crunching numbers in his head -- which he does when he _isn't_ trapped on another planet. It's his way of solving a problem _after_ getting all the information."

Khrista motioned to the room around them and added, "and I don't think that we have all the information."

The two Pokemon looked at each other, considering the brown-haired teenager's words.

 _"At this point in time, there is not much that we can do about that,"_ Alak stated with a shake of his head. _"Gangrene can come and go as she pleases because of who she is. If I leave this citadel, it may set off more alarms than you coming into this world."_

Khrista frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Not too long ago, after we got up here, some moron decided that they needed a sensor to let them know when Pokemon Teleport in and out," Gangrene explained with a scowl. "And not just regular Pokemon -- _Psychic_ Pokemon."

"Just Psychic Pokemon?" Khrista repeated, frowning. "Why just Psychic Pokemon?"

"It has a lot to do with something Mewtwo pulled a while back." The Gengar was grinning again.

"Mewtwo pulled something?" Khrista repeated, frowning. "I didn't think he pulled _anything."_

 _"All Pokemon are capable of 'pulling' something,"_ Alak replied. _"Even if they're Legendaries."_

Khrista blinked, taking this information in. "Huh. Never thought they'd have it in them."

"Then you haven't lived!" Gangrene howled in laughter. "Oh, I should introduce you to --"

 _"We can't run introductions now,"_ Alak cut her off. He looked over at Khrista. _"We should make sure that you're improving in your abilities while time passes."_

"Do you think we can start looking into Psychic attacks?" Khrista asked, somewhat hopeful.

The Alakazam looked somewhat amused. _"I believe that is the only thing I have left to teach you."_ He motioned for Khrista to follow him, and he walked over to an abandoned corner of the room. Khrista followed after him.

Gangrene stood with her arms crossed, scowling after the two of them half-heartedly.

"I'm getting her next!" the Gengar called after them.

"You're the only one who _can!"_ Khrista replied with a laugh.


	18. Down Time part 2

"Two Pokemon are missing?"

The Haunter in front of the purple-haired, young woman nodded. The action made it look like his entire body was bobbing up and down. "Two of Joshua's team -- an Alakazam and a Gengar. They've been gone for a while now, but there've been rumors of one of 'em poppin' up every once in a while."

Sabrina frowned. "Do what you can to find them, Cackle. We need everyone we can find to help in...whatever it is Professor Birch is planning."

Cackle nodded again, then turned and flew into the rows of Pokemon huts, leaving the Psychic Gym Leader to rub one of her temples while a look of annoyance came across her face.

"An Alakazam and a Gengar," Sabrina muttered. She closed a purple eye. "Why is it that the oddest pairings are the ones that end up disappearing?"

_"I've got an idea as to where they are hiding."_

The Kanto Trainer's head turned, and she caught sight of a white Pokemon with green arms and a red, spike-like object coming out of his chest.

"A Gallade using telepathy?" Sabrina asked, frowning.

 _"Joshua calls me Gawain,"_ the Gallade replied, giving a bow to the Psychic Trainer. _"Alak and Gangrene spoke of wishing for a faster life, so they moved to another place."_ The look on the Psychic/Fighting-Type was clearly one of mischief, the exact opposite of what was expected of his kind.

Sabrina frowned. When the Gallade quickly glanced up at the cave ceiling, her eyes widened. "You mean they're --"

 _"Correct. However, they are not members of_ his _forces."_ Noticing the cautious look Sabrina was giving him, Gawain added, _"Gangrene stopped by when the Exploration team returned, looking for information. I approached her and learned where they were hiding and what they had been doing."_

"She trusts you that much? I didn't think Ghost-Types had much stock in physical Pokemon from other Regions."

 _"We have worked together on many things, including this."_ Gawain took a step forward and whispered the next sentence aloud with a telepathic echo.

"They hope to plan and start a rebellion."

Sabrina eyed Gawain, curiosity on her face. "Have you told anyone else about this?"

Gawain shook his head. _"Gangrene prefers to keep things secret, and I'm one of the few she trusts to keep my mouth shut or spread word to certain Pokemon and humans. She knows Birch is going to need a plan of attack with her input, whether he likes it or not."_

The Gym Leader nodded. "I'll make sure the professors are aware of this. If your friend comes to visit, I want an update on the situation as soon as possible."

_"Of course, my lady."_

With that, the Gallade bowed and left.

Cackle flew to his Trainer's side, panting slightly and looking somewhat exhausted.

"Not a trace of either of 'em," he reported unhappily.

Sabrina nodded in acknowledgement, gaining a calm expression. "A Gallade told me where they're hiding; we've got nothing to worry about them." She eyed the Haunter. "Come on; we should get to the main square. I heard they're planning something special for dinner tonight."

The Ghost/Poison-Type became interested, his exhausted facade gone in an instant.

"This should be good," Cackle remarked, grinning wickedly.

"No tricks at dinner, Cackle. I thought we'd already talked about this."

"Aww, come on, Sabrina! Just one?" The Haunter gave a pleading expression that looked more like a grinning grimace.

"No; Morty is still mad about that last one."

The Haunter gained a pouting expression and drooped. He muttered, "I've got a lot of pranking stuff that've collecting dust. I've _gotta_ use 'em."

"Too bad." Sabrina allotted herself a slight smile. "Maybe later, when we actually have someone we mutually dislike in our line of sight."

Haunter gained a hopeful expression. "Like Sydney?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of the one who has made our lives miserable."

Cackle's grin widened, and he let loose a loud laugh that clearly sounded like his name. "Oh! Good one!"

As the two of them arrived in the area the Trainers called "the Square" -- because most of their activities took place there and it was surrounded by the other buildings in a square shape -- Red approached them, his Pikachu on his shoulder and Vee, his Espeon, trotting along to his left.

"Hey, Sabrina," the Kanto Champion greeted. "Finished already?"

"You're surprised?" the Psychic retorted calmly. "You needn't be."

The Trainer chuckled. "Professor Oak said there were hundreds upon thousands of each Type and species of Pokemon, so we figured that it would take some time before all of them were accounted for." Red eyed the Haunter. "You wouldn't happen to be the Haunter my little brother met, would you?"

Cackle nodded. "Cackle the Jokester, at your service," he stated with a mock bow, a grin on his face.

"I thought you specialized in Psychic-Types," the Pikachu remarked, cocking his head.

"Ash brought him to me and brought me out of one of my moods, Pika," Sabrina explained. "It's thanks to him that I don't have them anymore."

Red looked surprised, and he raised the edge of his baseball cap. "Really? I didn't even think you _had_ moods."

"I started having them after you made a permanent home out of Mt. Silver."

"Oh." Red glanced down at Vee. "We missed a lot when we were up there."

"You really think so?" the Espeon retorted with sarcasm, a smirk on the Pokemon's face. "Come on, Red, let's get to where the food is."

The Kanto Champion smirked. "I'm all for that."

He gave Sabrina a quick wave, then ran for the long table that had been set out and covered in food. As soon as he, Vee, and Pika got there, they were quickly joined by the rest of Red's team -- a Venasaur, a Poliwrath, and an Areodactyl.

"He's really something," Liza remarked as she and her twin brother, Tate, came in from the Fields with their Lunatone and Solrock -- Lunar and Solar, respectively.

"To think, that someone could live on a mountain for over three years without going mad from no human contact," Tate added, nodding. The shock of blue hair on his head bounced slightly. "At least, no contact from us."

Liza nodded. "The other world Trainers challenged him often while he was up there..."

"...giving him the type of training we have experienced, as well."

"But not at the magnitude he has."

Sabrina eyed the twins. The knowledge of their telepathic connection wasn't knew to her; she had conversed with them before.

However, she also knew what most people didn't: the Gym Leaders of Mossdeep had a network of Psychic Pokemon so extensive, the two knew exactly how many of the Avatar Trainers actually appeared here in the forms of the mute holograms and trained up the Pokemon in the area. Surprisingly, that number wasn't as large as some of the Pokemon and Trainers of this world had originally thought.

"I suppose that you two are done, as well?" Sabrina inquired, turning to face the blue-haired psychics.

Liza nodded. "All of the Lunatone --"

" -- and Solrock --" Tate interrupted.

"-- are accounted for," Liza finished. She turned to look at the Square, where the Trainers and Pokemon were beginning to gather, then back at Sabrina. "We'd better get over there, before they eat everything --"

"-- and leave us with nothing," Tate added.

With that, the two Hoenn Gym Leaders ran into the crowd and disappeared from Sabrina's sight.

As Sabrina was making her way towards the food herself, Vapor and Raichu were conversing with a female Glaceon named Glacier and a male Raichu named Sparkler -- two Pokemon that were a part of a team that Khrista's group was somewhat familiar with, but not as much as Joshua's.

"So, you're trained by the Avatar who's calling herself Mist?" Vapor asked, cocking his head to one side.

The Glaceon nodded. "Mist is a bit of an interesting Trainer, compared to you guys. The PokeDex really wasn't all that important to her, I think."

Sparkler nodded in agreement. "Yeah. She was more like one of those Trainers who caught Pokemon she liked and used them instead of catching one of everything." He cocked his head to one side thoughtfully. "Maybe she saw it as a waste?"

"I doubt you'll know until you meet her," Raichu spoke up.

Glacier snorted, sending ice crystals flying out of her nose. They quickly dissipated as the Ice-Type responded to Raichu's statement.

" _If_ we'll ever meet her. There's a lot going on that's keeping us from seeing the light of day, you know."

Vapor nodded grimly, his mermaid tail twitching at the thought. "And our Trainers aren't the only ones up there, either. I can't help but wonder what ours are going through right now."

"I can tell you that."

The group of four Pokemon looked up in surprise at the Gengar floating a few feet above them.

Glacier's ears collapsed onto the back of her head as her icy eyes narrowed. "And you are?"

"Gangrene."

The four landlocked Pokemon looked at each other again as the Gengar floated over to one of the bowls of Pokemon food that was sitting nearby. Gangrene plopped herself down next to the bowl and popped a couple pellets into her mouth.

"Your Trainers are a bit busy with mine, and I decided to drop by to see what you guys were up to," the Ghost/Poison-Type added.

Vapor's ears perked up in interest. "What do you mean by that?"

"And aren't you supposed to not be here?" Glacier asked suspiciously, frowning. "I mean, no one's heard from you or Alak since before --"

"That's because we left to live elsewhere," Gangrene interrupted calmly. "We wanted a change of scenery. Is that a problem?"

"Where are you now?" Raichu asked, cocking her head to one side as she looked at the Pokemon. When Gangrene didn't return the gaze and instead looked down at the bowl, the Electric-Type let out a gasp and demanded, "You and Alak have been living up _there_ , haven't you?"

"Up where?" Gangrene asked innocently, looking back at Raichu and smirking.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Raichu barked. "I know a fellow trickster when I see one! You're hiding out in the skyscraper, aren't you?"

Sparkler, Glacier, and Vapor exchanged glances of shock and surprise upon hearing Raichu's outburst. Then they looked back at Gangrene, who hadn't looked away from the Electric Mouse.

The Gengar held up her paws. "You got me. We've been hanging out around here."

Raichu nodded, her aggressive stance fading. "I thought so. So you're hanging around our Trainers?"

"No point in denying it."

"How is Mist doing?" Glacier asked, her ears shooting back up as she gained a hopeful expression. "She is all right, isn't she?"

"Mist is fine," Gangrene replied calmly. "Khrista, too. Alak is working with Khrista on something at the moment, so I came down here in order to see what you guys are up to."

"How'd you get back down here if you're living up there?" Glacier asked, frowning.

"Teleportation, my dear Glaceon. How else?"

"Oh." The Ice-Type had a blank look on her face.

Raichu chuckled. "Gangrene has always been an odd Pokemon, according to what I've heard and seen. She's learned odd stuff and does odd stuff." Khrista's Electric-Type turned to look at the Ghost. "Speaking of doing odd stuff, what are Alak and Khrista working on?"

Gangrene grinned wickedly. "Our own start to the rebellion."

The four Pokemon in front of the Gengar were instantly struck speechless.

"It's true," Gangrene continued. "Joshua helped Khrista escape from the clutches of Team Galactic, although she remains in the building. Alak and I have been hiding her from prying eyes while Josh goes around and puts the pieces of our plan together. We're going to put it into motion when you attack the building, whenever that is."

Vapor frowned upon hearing this. "Joshua is the planning what they can do, but he's still being watched by Team Galactic? How does that make any sense?"

Gangrene shrugged. "I don't question him, but there's a lot of stuff he still doesn't know anything about. Or us. If you guys come up with anything, we're going to have to know what's going on in Birch's crazy head."

"Only if you can tell us what's going on up there," Vapor replied, pointing his mermaid tail up at the cave ceiling. "Is there anything that's going on up there that we should know about?"

Gangrene's grin faded, and she gained a grim look as she gave a nod. "Yeah. There are a couple Trainers that Khrista recognized up there. Most of them were Avatars, but there's one kid who you guys probably know."

"Who?" Sparkler asked.

"Silver's up there."

The four Pokemon stiffened and looked at each other upon hearing the news.

"Silver?" Glacier repeated, looking somewhat fearful. "I remember hearing about him from somewhere. He's one of the Dex Holders in Jhoto, isn't he?"

Sparkler nodded. "Yeah. The Rocket kid."

"He helped us some time ago," Raichu spoke up, looking concerned. "I was wondering where that red-headed Trainer disappeared off to."

"Obviously, he got caught," Gangrene stated in clipped tones. "He's probably under the same spell-thingy that the Avatars are, too."

"He's been under a spell before," Vapor stated. He looked across the Square to a group of Trainers who were standing near Red, who was waving his arms wildly above the air and grinning. Nearby, Blue was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and shaking his head.

"Red and the others were trapped in stone during the time Hoenn was going crazy," the Vaporeon continued, looking back at the other Pokemon. "Silver was aware of everything that was going on the whole time. If he's under a spell now, he probably knows what it is that's going on around him."

"Do you think the others might?" Glacier asked. "The Avatars, I mean."

"I should think so."

Gangrene frowned slightly. "It is possible, isn't it?" she murmured. Her eyes widened momentarily. "I've got to get going. Alak will want to know more of what's going on down here, and he and Khrista are most likely down by now."

She rose into the air, gave the three Pokemon a quick wave, then vanished.


	19. Dreamscape part 3

**Khrista's POV**

I was experimenting with what everything looked like in my head.

The house was starting to get boring -- and somewhat creepy -- so I decided to get a change of pace.

I wave my arms around a little as my surroundings changed; it was just something that I did instinctively.

Maybe it's just an automatic thing with dreamscapes? I dunno.

Anyway, the house disappeared in a swirl of color, and everything around me darkened.

Little white pinpricks appeared in a starry sky, and I found myself standing at the entrance to a cave that didn't look like it was made of rock.

I reached out and touched the wall near me; cool metal. I found myself moving out of the cave and having a look around at where I was standing. The entire landscape was made of metal.

I was on an alien planet that I'd _never seen before._ What was this?!

I heard something whispering from within the cave and I panicked a little. This place was not one I wanted to hang around at for long.

I waved my arms again, and the area changed with a shift of color to a brighter, more friendly environment.

I found myself standing next to a small lake that was completely surrounded by trees. A breeze threw some leaves around while the sun -- high in the sky, about noonish -- shone down around small, fluffy clouds that could give sheep a run for their money.

The place was really peaceful, and I liked it.

_"I'm delighted that I'm not the only one who is capable of finding Lake Verity in their dreams."_

I stiffened, then started to look around quickly for the source of huge voice. It sounded like a young woman had just spoken, but most young women don't speak into your head -- even if you're dreaming.

I caught sight of a pink figure coming towards me from a cave in the center of the lake, and I blinked in surprise. "Mesprit?"

The little Lake Spirit gave a smile. _"Please, call me Lien."_

I blinked. Not the name I had expected, but...OK.

"What are you doing here?" I asked warily.

_"It's been some time since we last saw each other, and I wanted to make sure that you were coping well with the situation."_

"Saw each other? We never --"

I got a flash of my memory of getting into the citadel.

Lien saw the realizing look on my face. _"Yes."_ The grim look on her own face was soon replaced by a brighter look that _definitely_ didn't reach her eyes. I guess the toil of what was going on was starting to show.

 _"So, how have you been doing?"_ Lien pressed. She started to circle me, giving my form a curious look.

"Uh...okay, I guess," I replied with a shrug. "There really hasn't been much for me to do, and I haven't been able to work very much with my abilities...." I trailed off for a moment, wondering if Lien knew of what I could do or not. I shook the feeling off. "But other than that, things are going fine."

Lien cocked her head slightly, giving me a curious look. _"Do you need something to do?"_

"Uh...not so much as training time," I replied hesitantly. "I kinda want to make sure I'm ready before I go out and do anything."

 _"Real Trainers and Pokemon don't have that luxury,"_ Lien replied flatly. _"There's nothing you're going to be able to do when it comes to having activities thrust upon you."_

"Then what do you want me to do?" I demanded. "It's not like I can just go down there and say, 'I want Silver and everybody from my neighborhood or I'm gonna fry your brains out!'" My shirt flickered from dull red to gold and back as I spoke, as though to emphasize what I was saying.

Lien chuckled. _"No, you cannot. However, there is something you can do here in order to prepare for what is to come."_

I looked at her in surprise. "I can? What?"

_"Go to the dreamscape you were at before I arrived here, and you will find out."_

Lien gave me a knowing smile and disappeared in a flash of light, leaving me standing alone at the edge of Lake Verity.

"The dreamscape where I was before?" I repeated to myself. "What's that supposed to...." I trailed of when I realized what the Psychic Legendary had been referring to.

The metal cave was honestly the _last_ place I wanted to go to, but it sounded like I didn't have much of a choice.

I waved my arms around again, and the area darkened to where I had been before. The stars twinkled brightly, and I couldn't help but wonder which one happened to be Earth -- probably one of the faint ones, if any of them.

"I was wondering when you would show up here."

I turned my head towards the cave upon hearing the voice, and I took a step back in surprise.

There was a woman standing there -- I couldn't tell if she was in early twenties or somewhere in the thirties. She had long, blond hair that was tied up in a ponytail at the back of her head, and she was wearing a gray jacket with a pair of red and yellow stripes on her elbows. The jacket was zipped up, so I couldn't see the shirt that was underneath.

"Who are you?" I asked, turning my attention to the woman's bright blue eyes.

"I have gone by many names," the woman replied, "but you may call me Arsenal."

Many names? _Arsenal?_ What kind of woman is this?

"Um...okay?" I wasn't sure how to take the situation, so I just decided to take it easy and tried not to accidentally make this Arsenal woman mad. "What are you doing in my head, then?"

"You need help." Arsenal uncrossed her arms from their position over her chest and held them out at her sides. "And I can offer it."

"How? You can't do what _I_ can."

Okay, so maybe I sounded a little cocky saying that.

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean I can't assist you." Arsenal walked away from the cave and towards me. "And I have an idea as to how I can help."

"How, then?" I asked, frowning.

"My abilities are similar to yours, but you aren't at my level. Yet."

Arsenal must have seen that my frown, because she smirked and snapped her fingers. A moment later, she started to... _morph._

And I _mean_ morph.

I could see her skin color changing as she shrank -- and her clothes shrank with her! Next thing I knew, she looked like a Pikachu.

"What _are_ you?" I asked, at a loss for words.

"I?" The Pikachu smirked. "I am a shifter, capable of mimicking anything's appearance."

Whoa. That's nuts.

"You have these abilities, but not to this extent," Arsenal added. I watched as she morphed back to her normal, human self, amazed that the yellow color didn't stay with her blue jeans -- or even those gray tennis shoes of hers.

"What do you mean?" I asked. So, I'm feeling a little more comfortable with this woman, but _sheesh_. She's a walking Ditto, and my abilities are supposed to be just _similar?_

"You can mimic abilities. I mimic forms." Arsenal shrugged. "They're similar enough that I can assist you in gaining new abilities to work with."

"How? I have to see an actual Pokemon Type in order to get it to work!"

"Gengars aren't Dark-Types, but you managed to use that ability when you escaped Joshua's cell."

Arsenal smirked, and my eyes widened. She was right -- I _had_ gone ahead and used the Dark-Type ability without copying off anyone. Did this mean that I could copy any Type without actually copying from a Pokemon?

But there was still a missing piece....

"How'd you know I did that?" I asked, frowning.

"I have my ways, just as Ash does his," Arsenal replied calmly. "Now, are we going to start discussing a new Type for you or not?"

Well, wanting to maintain a mysterious cover, are we? Fine. I can deal.

"Ok, then," I replied, crossing my arms over my chest. "Which one's first?"

"Why don't we try....Fighting-Type?"

**Spacial Break -- change in POV**

Alak opened one eye, a psychic disturbance awakening him from the deeper recesses of his mind and bringing him into the dream state of other, normal Pokemon and humans.

 _"Who's there?"_ he asked, looking around at the dreamscape-version of the storeroom.

 _"Just a friend,"_ came a response.

The Alakazam caught sight of a figure hovering in a dark corner. He frowned cautiously and pointed a spoon in the figure's direction. The metal item started to glow with energy, but the attack was never fired.

Alak hesitated as the figure floated out of the dark corner. The Psychic-Type frowned. _"I was not expecting to see you here, considering what has occurred here."_

 _"We knew we had to take the risk in order to contact all of you,"_ the small Pokemon in front of Alak replied.

_"'We'? Do not tell me the others followed you here, Merlin."_

_"We agreed that we all had to come and speak with those who were here,"_ replied the Uxie. _"It had to be done."_

_"If you wish to have yourselves caught again, so be it."_

_"I will not be here long enough for them to find me, Alak. What I have to say is too important to be left alone."_ Merlin took in a breath as though to steady himself. _"Khrista will not be able to stay here forever. I have seen that she will end up being discovered and captured again if you stay here for much longer."_

_"Then what do you suggest? I cannot simply leave; the sensors will be alerted of my presence just as much as they are aware of Khrista's!"_

_"That would no longer be an issue if you Teleported_ out _of the building and went to the Underground."_

Alak's eyes widened. _"The Underground? Why?"_

_"They will need your help as much as you need theirs. You, Gangrene, and Arsenal will not be able to teach Khrista everything she knows."_

Alak frowned. _"Arsenal?"_

Merlin ignored the question. _"There are other Pokemon and Trainers in the Undergound who can help teach Khrista what it is that she can do, while also learning of what it is that can be done in the world above."_

_"I cannot take her."_

_"Then have Gangrene take her and hide near your Trainer until events have either died down or picked up to a feverish boil."_ Merlin sounded oddly insistent as he spoke. _"After all, there are things that must be done in order to cause Cyrus and his dark citadel to fall."_

Alak's frown deepened as he listened to the Legendary's words. He could sense that there was knowledge in them, but he was still cautious. _"You are certain that this must be done."_

 _"I am. Keep watch, Alak, for you will not know the day, nor the hour, that your human charge will be forced to move."_ Merlin's tails twitched, entwining themselves together for a moment. Then he vanished in a flash of light.


	20. Escape

When Khrista awoke, she discovered that Gangrene and Alak were muttering something across the storage room, occasionally sending looks in her direction.

The brown-haired girl looked down at her shirt, wondering if it had changed color at all during the night. When she saw that it was a vibrant orange, Khrista's blue eyes widened considerably.

"Whoa. Arsenal's _good,"_ Khrista muttered. She looked back up at the two Pokemon, frowning as she got to her feet. "What's going on, guys? Did something come up?"

"I guess you could say that," Gangrene remarked. She sent a look at Alak. "Alak here wants us to split up."

"What?" Khrista jumped up from a crouching position to her full height. "Why?"

"Something has come up," Alak replied. It took a moment for Khrista to register that he wasn't using his telepathy.

"What has?" Khrista wondered if something had happened when she was talking with Lien and Arsenal, but shook it off.

"They may have discovered that here is a...'rogue' Psychic-Type hiding among them," Alak replied evenly. "I suspect they will be coming soon to find me."

Khrista's eyes widened. "What?! But you haven't used any Psychic attacks...." She frowned. "Have you?"

"No. However, _you_ have been."

Khrista's eyes widened further, and she paled considerably. "Oh, yeah...that's right...." Khrista grabbed at the collar of her shirt and swallowed. "Wh-what are we going to do? I mean, we could fight back --"

"They would overpower us," Alak replied grimly. "There really is only one thing you can do." The Alakazam looked over at Gangrene. "You will have to take her out of here."

Gangrene snorted. "Me? No -- _you're_ going. I'm not the Pokemon they're looking for -- besides, I can still sneak around in places you _can't._ Our Trainer's going to need that and you know it."

"Take me where?" Khrista asked, gaining a confused frown.

Alak glanced around quickly, as though he thought that someone else might be listening in. Then he said in a low voice, "The Underground."

Khrista's eyes widened again. "No way...."

Gangrene looked like she was about to say something else, but then she stiffened suddenly and started to look around. "They're coming," she warned quietly. "Alak, take the kid and get out of here _now."_

Alak shook his head. "I'm not --"

"Put a sock in it!"

Gangrene's outburst was so sudden that it caused Alak to look at her in surprise.

"They already know you're here, don't they? Teleporting yourself out of here isn't going to tell them anymore than they already know." The Gengar sounded impatient. "I'll do what I can up here to keep them busy. _Go!"_

Alak and Khrista, both surprised by the sudden outburst, exchanged a glance. Then the Psychic-Type walked over and took Khrista's arm in his three-fingered grip.

"All right; we'll go," the Alakazam stated. He looked at Khrista again. "Are you prepared?"

Khrista swallowed and gave a slight nod. "Yeah. I think so."

Outside of the room, there suddenly came the sound of pounding footsteps and muffled yelling that sounded like orders being given.

Gangrene gave a grin. "That's our cue. Go on ahead; I'll take care of those bozos." She faded out of sight and into the shadows.

Alak gave a nod, looking at where the Gengar had been standing. "Right. Teleport!"

Psychic energy started to swirl around the two, causing the storage room to blur. Part of the wall started to come down, but Khrista didn't see who was on the other side.

The next thing she knew, she was standing next to Alak in what looked like a grassy plain...under a rocky ceiling.

Khrista looked around, a slight frown on her face out of bewilderment. Alak took note of this.

 _"We are at the edge of the Underground, directly below the former location of Lake Verity,"_ Alak explained.

Khrista jolted upon hearing the Pokemon using telepathy again. " _Former_?" she repeated, frowning.

 _"Yes. Cyrus made it a point to demolish the home of the being of Emotion, as that was the first piece of his spirit to go."_ Alak was grim.

Khrista's eyes widened. "Wow. That's harsh."

 _"Yes."_ Alak looked around. _"Come; our destination isn't far from here."_ He started walking forward, Khrista following after the Alakazam.

"They have fields down here?" Khrista asked, looking around her frowning. How?"

_"The Legendary Pokemon that live down here created this place for the sake of the Pokemon -- both wild and trained -- who managed to escape. There are different environments located down here for the sole purpose of training or...'R and R', as you humans say."_

The teen's blue eyes widened. "Wow. Honestly, I never knew that Legendaries had so much power in them. Battling must only use a fraction of their abilities...."

 _"Indeed,"_ Alak agreed. _"And we trained by those of your world are capable of competing with that power. We are almost legends ourselves because of it."_

The two continued to walk through the plain, and Khrista started to spot Pokemon in the distance, moving about in small groups as though they were afraid of splitting apart. A confused frown started to work its way onto her face.

"When will we get to see the humans?" Khrista asked after some time had passed.

 _"They're not much further,"_ Alak promised. _"We will have to pass the Exploration Base and the huts other Pokemon have built for themselves. After that, we shall reach the humans."_

Khrista's eyes widened. "Exploration Base? As in, Pokemon Exploration?"

_"I believe that is the term, yes."_

The two figures reached the end of the grass a few minutes later, and Khrista found herself walking into roofless, stone huts that were way smaller than human buildings. Close nearby was what looked like a giant Pikachu's head.

Something told her that was the Exploration Base.

A few minutes later, Alak and Khrista broke through the huts and found themselves standing at the edge of a clearing of sorts. Larger, clearly human-made buildings went along three sides of the clearing while the Pokemon huts covered the fourth.

"This is it?" Khrista asked, looking around in awe.

Alak gave a nod, then paused and pointed with one spoon towards the other side of the clearing. _"Look. There are Pokemon over there."_

Khrista blinked, then followed the invisible line the spoon started. When she found the other end, her eyes widened in surprise, and she let out a gasp.

"Raichu!" she called out.


	21. Reunited

"You're thinking about your Trainer again, aren't you?" Sparkler asked, curling his lightning-tail around himself.

Raichu nodded, looking somewhat depressed. "I'm worried about her -- and I don't normally say that about people _or_ Pokemon."

"We all worry sometimes," Sparkler offered. "Mist constantly got us into trouble, so that was a bit of a worry for me. I'm glad I didn't go mad watching out for --"

"Raichu!"

The two Electric-Types turned their heads towards the other side of the Square, and the female of the pair froze upon seeing who was standing on the other side of the area.

"K-Khrista?" Raichu stammered, her eyes widening upon seeing the brown-haired girl standing there in a dull red shirt.

"It _can't_ be...." Sparkler murmured. "She looks like _my_ Trainer."

The brown-haired girl took off at a run towards them, a look of delight on her face. A moment later, Raichu found herself entrapped in a hug.

"Hey," Khrista stated, grinning. "It's been a while since I last saw you."

"Has it?" Raichu asked quietly, looking a little at a loss for words. "H-how did you--"

"Alak got me here." Khrista turned to look at the other side of the clearing, only to blink in confusion when the mentioned Pokemon was nowhere to be seen. "Where did he --"

The two Electric mice stiffened as an Alakazam appeared right in front of them.

 _"I was informing an ally of mine that I had arrived here,"_ Alak explained. He gave a nod to the two Pokemon. _"Raichu. Sparkler."_

Khrista blinked, then looked over at the male Raichu. "Sparkler?" she repeated.

Sparkler opened his mouth to answer, but Raichu beat him to it.

"When did you get down here?" the female asked excitedly.

"Not too long ago," Khrista replied, returning her attention to her own Pokemon. "Galactics found our hiding place, so Gangrene had Alak Teleport me out of there."

"Gangrene stayed behind?" Sparkler asked, frowning.

 _"She insisted on keeping an eye on our Trainer,"_ Alak replied calmly. _"And that I be the one to leave with our pupil."_

"Pupil?" Sparkler repeated in confusion. "What do you mean? And what about Mist?"

"We can talk about that later," Raichu stated excitedly. "Right now, I've gotta find Swamp and tell him our Trainer's here!"

Khrista's eyes sparked. "You're not the only one who's going to tell that Swampert. Where is he?"

"He's been training all over the place, but I think he's over here for now." Raichu turned to face the human buildings and started towards a break between two of them. "I know the way! Follow me!"

"Wait up!" Sparkler called back. He started to run after the female Electric-Type, Knrista and Alak in pursuit.

Raichu led her Trainer through a path between two human made buildings, coming to a stop as soon as they reached the edge of the area.

Khrista looked around in amazement at the large clearing. "What is this place?"

"A place we can train," Raichu replied. She pointed towards a corner of the collection of drawn-out fields. "There's Swamp! And it looks like he's fighting Cedar!"

"Cedar?!" Khrista turned her head, and she caught sight of a flash of green in the distance. "Come on -- let's go!" She dashed towards the source of the fighting, the other Pokemon following in pursuit.

The group quickly reached that area of the Underground, where Swamp and Cedar were going at each other with great force. Already, the ground was covered in muddy water, making the battle site almost like a swamp. Khrista suspected that Swamp had used a Muddy Water attack.

"Looks like Swamp's been busy," Khrista noted, wading through the water. She looked over to where the two Pokemon were standing on one of the last few dry spots, now glaring at each other murderously.

Cedar dashed forward, the leaves on his arms lengthening into blades that were slashed at Swamp, who was already covered in multiple cuts.

The Swampert didn't move, watching the Sceptile with narrow eyes as he approached. Then, when Cedar was almost on top of him, Swamp's head reared back and fired a large blue orb of water.

"Whoa...." Khrista murmured, watching as Cedar, now soaked, was sent flying. "Was that Hydro Cannon?"

Raichu nodded. "He doesn't have to use it all that often, but I guess Cedar's worn him down enough." She grinned. "He's got things about using his most powerful attacks, but I've got no qualms about hitting people with Thunder right off the bat!"

"You're not Swamp," Sparkler replied seriously.

Khrista started to walk forward, the muddy water lapping around her ankles. "How long have these two been going at it?"

"Um...." Raichu frowned thoughtfully. "I dunno. I've never been good with numbers. Half hour, maybe?"

Khrista's eyes widened, and she quickened her pace. "Those two have probably exhausted most of their abilities by now. We'd better stop them before they start using Struggle!"

Khrista took a few more steps forward and then, raising her voice, called out, "Guys! Cut it out!"

Cedar's and Swamp's heads turned sharply, the Water/Ground-Type's fist now hovering over the Grass-Type's head.

"If you guys want to kill each other off, do it when we don't have to worry about that guy up there!" Khrista exclaimed, pointing upward. "We still need you guys around here, so don't use up your energy like this!"

Swamp blinked, a blank look on his face, as if he didn't fully comprehend what the teen had said. He back away slowly from Cedar, allowing the Grass-Type to get up.

Raichu clambered up onto Khrista's right shoulder, leaving wet footprints on the back of the Trainer's shirt.

Grinning at Swamp, the Electric Mouse teased, "Don't just stand there gaping like a Magikarp! Get over here and say hi to our Trainer!"

Raichu's words seemed to do the trick, because Swamp started to lumber towards her, as did Cedar. The Grass-Type reached the group first, however, but he didn't tackle Khrista to the ground. Instead, he rammed into Alak.

"Where have you been?!" Cedar demanded, holding the Psychic down in the mud. "Do you realize how much chaos you and that Gengar caused when you disappeared from here? Our team thought you had been kidnapped -- or worse!"

"He couldn't exactly come down with that Psychic sensor thingy up," Khrista replied, glaring at the Sceptile. She felt the water moving up her legs in a wave motion a moment later, then turned to look at the Swampert. "Hey, buddy. How are you doing? You're not too badly hurt, are you?"

"All's fair in love and war," Swamp replied calmly. He glanced at the scratches on his arm. "Cedar and I were simply sparring." Looking back at his Trainer, he asked, "And where have you been hiding all this time? Wouldn't Cyrus have --"

"Joshua had Gangrene get me out of his sight," the brown-haired teen responded. "Alak and Gangrene made sure that I stayed out of sight, but Galactics found out we were in the area. Gangrene kicked Alak and me out so that we wouldn't be in any danger."

Cedar looked at Khrista in surprise, then let out a growl of frustration. "That Gengar is going to get herself in even worse trouble than the two of you combined! She'd better hope that she doesn't get herself killed, because I will when all of this is over and done with!"

 _"Good luck with that,"_ came Alak's reply. _"Now, please, will you allow me to get up? I have informed the Pokemon Professors of our arrival as well as Khrista's present predicament."_

"Khrista's predicament?" Raichu repeated, confused. She looked up at her Trainer. "What predicament? You're here and you're okay."

"Eh..." Khrista gave a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of her head. "Not quite."

"What do you mean, 'not quite'?" Sparkler asked, getting on the alert. "Did they do something to you?"

"Not unless you count physical tests, no." Khrista's rubbing moved to the back of her neck. "You see, I picked up this new ability when they tried to run me through some machine and had it backfire. Apparently. I wasn't conscious when it happened."

Raichu let out a snicker, smirking. "That's my Trainer."

"What is your Ability?" Swamp asked, frowning.

"You guys know anything about Arceus?"

All the Pokemon present exchanged glances.

"The so-called Pokemon god?" Cedar asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, I've heard about him. So?"

"Um....okay, how do I word this...."

Khrista cleared her throat, looking nervous as she crossed her arms over her chest. "His ability allows him to take on any Type that exists depending on what Plate he's holding. Like Flame Plate will make him a Fire-Type. And...."

Khrista started rubbing the back of her neck again as her eyes went around the group. "I've kind of got an ability like that."

The Pokemon exchanged glances again upon hearing this.

"How does it work?" Sparkler asked, cocking his head to one side.

 _"She copies the Type of the Pokemon simply by being near them,"_ Alak explained. _"Although, when she first discovered her Ability, she morphed into the Dark-Type when Gangrene was near. The act was obviously a spontaneous one when she needed it the most."_

"Whoa," Raichu stated, her eyes wide. She looked at Khrista intently. "Show us!"

"Wha -- now?" Khrista asked, blinking in surprise at the Electric Mouse's nose in her face.

"Yes, now!" Raichu started to bounce a little on her Trainer's shoulder. "Come on, come on! I wanna see what you can do!"

"Okay, okay!" Khrista raised her hands in submission. "Just give me a minute to get my act together." She took in a breath and tried to slow down her rapidly-beating heart, which was starting to pick up a faster pace the more she thought of using her ability in front of members of her own team -- and Joshua's.

Khrista glanced over at Swamp for a moment, then moved her gaze to Cedar. She could feel her gut responding instantly, and then _something_ shifted.

Raichu let out a yelp of surprise as she watched the dull red shift to a deep green that matched the color of Cedar's scaly self.

"Whoa...." The Electric-Type was certainly amazed. As were the other Pokemon present.

"And you can use Pokemon attacks, then," Cedar stated seriously.

Khrista gave a nod. "I know about some of the attacks that Psychics and Ghosts can use, but not for any other Type. It'll take some time for that to happen, probably."

"Or not." Cedar started to look somewhat mischievous. "There are a lot of Pokemon that would be more than willing to help you out."

Swamp nodded in agreement. "Mt. Coronet is teeming with Pokemon and Trainers who have been looking for action of some sort. I doubt they'd find any problem with helping you out."

Raichu's tail suddenly went straight up. "Oh, yeah! Vapor told me earlier that he was going over with Glacier and Misty! If we hurry, we can catch them before they head out!"

"Glacier?" Khrista repeated, confused.

"A fellow Pokemon of Mist's," Sparkler explained calmly. "The Glaceon seems to have taken a liking to Vapor for one reason or another."

Khrista's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?"

Raichu nodded, then jumped off her Trainer's shoulder. "Come on! We don't have all day! Let's go!" She turned and took off for the buildings.

"I'll meet you there later," Swamp stated, nodding to his Trainer. "I have to replenish my health first."

"As do I," Cedar agreed. He and the Hoenn Water Stater started towards the buildings, but at a slower pace than Raichu.

 _"The Professors wished to speak with me more on certain matters,"_ Alak stated, giving a nod to Khrista. _"You are in good paws."_ With that, the Psychic-Type disappeared in a flash of light.

"OK...." Khrista looked down at Sparkler. "Let's go catch up to my Raichu."


	22. An A-Team Moment

Joshua let out a sigh as he looked around at his repaired quarters for the umpteenth time. He knew without pushing the wall that it had been reinforced with some sort of alloy that his home world couldn't even hope to create.

He also knew -- according to his Gengar -- that Khrista was going to be out of the building for some time, much longer than a day or two. This meant that Saturn was going to be sent out on a wild goose chase, completely failing to find Joshua's cousin.

Joshua walked over to his bed and sat down on it before putting his hand to the left side of his head.

"I'm back in my cell," he muttered under my breath.

It took a minute before another voice jumped onto the private connection.

 _::About time::_ Mist muttered. _::It was bad enough when I was waiting for you to move from that old lab back to your own place::_

"At least I managed to find time to contact you and Raze when I was there," Joshua muttered in reply. "Anything happen while I was off the radar?"

 _::Not unless you count that_ dramatic _exit Raze made::_ Mist replied in a sarcastic tone. _::Word's spread faster than the higher-ups can keep it smushed. The Rockets in my sector of the Gym have been whispering about it almost_ all the time _::_

Mist paused for a moment before she added, _::I heard from an Ariados that there was a girl wandering around the area who managed to transform from a Sprite to an Insect. Care to elaborate?::_

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "It actually talked? Raze said she'd leave right away and not show herself to anyone else if the Insect didn't do anything."

_::Well, that obviously backfired. What was Raze doing? Testing your 'freeing kids with their names' theory?::_

"Apparently, she was working on her own Ability. There isn't anything more that I know on the circumstances."

 _::Ability? Wait -- you_ saw _her? Did you tell her --::_

"It was before she left, and yes."

There was the sound of something bonking against the steel door, and Joshua turned his head.

"Gotta go," Joshua muttered quickly. "Talk to you later."

_::Sure, Boggart::_

Mist went silent just as the door opened and a familiar Rocket member with teal hair entered the cell. The door moved slightly, but it didn't close all the way because of another figure on the other side of the door.

Joshua caught sight of Cassidy's cautious face through the sliver of an entrance before turning his attention to Butch, who actually looked more bold than he had been the last few times they had crossed paths.

Joshua looked on in growing surprise as Butch removed a red and white sphere from a pocket of his black pants.

"What are you doing?" Joshua asked, suddenly feeling not so safe. He eyed the PokeBall as Butch maximized its size and bounced it a little in his hand. "You're not going to --"

"No," Butch replied. He minimized the PokeBall again and held it out to Joshua. "This one's yours."

Joshua looked at Butch curiously, not moving to take the PokeBall. "Why are you giving me that? Did Cyrus order you to distribute them?"

"Call it...intuition," Birch responded. He quickly pressed the PokeBall into the teen's hand. "I would've given one to your friend, too, but she's not here."

He looked about quickly, then added quietly, "Cyrus has been acting weird lately."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his left hand moved up to cover his mouth, but stopped before it got there and fell back to his side.

Joshua looked mildly interested. "I don't suppose you have any idea why?"

"There's a rumor going around that there's a Darkrai following him everywhere." Butch gripped his left hand with his right to keep it from going up to his face as he continued, "He's getting more and more emotionally imbalanced."

"How long has this been going on, do you think?"

Butch glanced about again, then whispered, "Since the day his machine broke."

At this point, his left hand overpowered his right and slapped over his mouth. Joshua had to resist chuckling at the sight of Butch angrily glaring down at his own hand.

Butch forced his hand back and added, "He thinks your friend sent the Dark-Type to torture him when Ash isn't." There was another slap as his mouth was covered.

Joshua examined the PokeBall as Butch struggled to force his hand away from his face.

"I suggest you be careful of what you say from now on," he stated. "If Cyrus' emotions are getting the better of him, you don't want to have the short end of the stick."

He pocketed the spherical capture device, then turned his attention to the ex-Rocket member. "Why did you come, anyway?"

"Sentry duty," Butch responded, his left hand dropping to his side again. "The cameras are going offline all over the place." He grinned nervously. "Cassidy and I're going to be switching off." With that, he slipped out the door and disappeared.

Once the door was shut and locked, Joshua brought out the PokeBall, bringing it up to full size so that he could look into it and identify the Pokemon it contained. As if by some sort of mental command, the red half of the sphere became transparent, revealing its contents.

The teen, smiling after seeing its contents, minimized the PokeBall, the red becoming opaque once again as he pocketed the object.

As the midmorning alarm sounded, Joshua smirked as he muttered, "Everything's coming together."


	23. Start to Hunt for a Cure

To say that Cyrus was emotionally imbalanced was a technical understatement.

Butch might have said the man was almost psychopathic, if his own body would have let him. It was as though the man was out to kill everyone in the building who would have set him off, which was everyone.

And to top it all off, the girl's escape had placed everyone on their toes, including Charon, who was thought to receive the most horrible of punishments by the general community.

At this particular moment, Cyrus was pacing in his office, drinking strong coffee in order to not fall into the clutches of another one of Darkrai's nightmares. He was presently alone, a report from earlier in the morning lying scattered on his desk, containing the information concerning the failed attempt to capture the teen, who had somehow managed to escape from her cell without too much trouble. The Galactic leader had just issued the order that the leader of that Galactic squad be placed on clean-up duty for the scientists, whose experiments were becoming much more brutal. It was a wonder that none of the Pokemon had died yet.

But then again, these _were_ the ones that had been used by the other-wordlers....

Cyrus' eyes moved to the warp panel as Charon stepped off it. The old man was visibly nervous, and looked like he would rather lock himself in his assigned room rather than face him.

"You called for me?" the scientist asked.

Cyrus placed the white coffee mug on his desk. "I want you to so something for me."

"Ask, and it shall be done," Charon replied with a calm shrug, using one of the more common phrases the grunts used.

"I want a Pokemon that can allow me to sleep. No dreams or nightmares."

Charon became slightly puzzled. "We could get a Pokemon that knows Hypnosis -- a Drowzee or a Hypno, perhaps --"

"Those aren't the Pokemon I'm referring to." Cyrus eyed Charon with a glare. "I want you to find Cresselia."

Charon blinked in surprise, then nodded. "I'll send a squad out, see if they can find one. Would you like The Boy to --"

"No. Have him do it when you bring the Pokemon to me."

Charon nodded again, then turned and started to step back onto the warp panel.

"One more thing."

The scientist paused, one foot hovering over the panel.

"I want that boy watched at all times. Put a guard in his cell if you have to. I don't want him getting any ideas."

Charon smiled ruefully. "Of course, sir." He stepped onto the warp panel and vanished.

Cyrus turned his attention to his office window as he picked up his coffee, watching as lightning raced across the lower levels of the thunderclouds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having Darkrai mess with people is always fun.


	24. More Training

"Come on! Deep Coronet's just up ahead!" Misty looked back at the other figures running after her, a grin on the redhead's face.

"How far ahead?" Khrista asked as she and the others kept pace with the other teen's speed. The brown-haired girl, now clean of muddy water spots, was eager to get to the Elite Four HQ -- if only to get more of the Pokemon Types under her belt.

"Not far," came Vapor's reply. The Water-Type was running between his Trainer and Glacier, his entire body rippling like he was underwater. "There's a split in the tunnel up ahead -- there!"

The group came to a halt as they neared the intersection. Vapor almost bumped into Khrista by accident, but managed to regain his balance just in time as Glacier sat down.

Khrista looked back and forth between the two tunnels. "Okay...so, which way now?"

"The one on the right," Misty explained, motioning to the mentioned tunnel. "The Elite Four usually stay deep in the mountain, and only take the other one when they're going out to have a look around."

Khrista looked over at the tunnel to the left in surprise. "So that leads to the surface?"

"Yup." Misty started towards the right-side tunnel. "Come on -- I bet a lot of people are going to want to meet you."

"Me?" Khrista pointed at herself while Vapor and Glacier started after the Water-Type Gym Leader. "Why me? I'm not famous."

"You think so?" Misty turned around abruptly and put her hands on her hips, holding the long, flowing blue jacket in place over her bright yellow T-shirt and jean shorts. "You're the last Avatar who came through _and_ you have more power at your fingertips than White ever did! I think that gets you enough respect from the Trainers and Pokemon around here."

"More power than --"

"Come on." Misty came over and grabbed Khrista's wrist, then dragged the brown-haired teen across the cavern and towards the proper tunnel.

"What did you mean back there?" Khrista spluttered out after a couple minutes of this dragging.

"It's not much -- just a rumor that a lot of people have been following up on," Misty replied without looking back at Khrista. "Something about her having been turned into a Pokemon at some point and gaining that Type's abilities. I didn't really pay any attention to it because she seemed like a regular Trainer the last time I saw her."

Khrista blinked in blank confusion. "Turned in a _Pokemon_? How does that make any sense?"

"I don't know, and I'm not planning on digging into it."

The two continued through the tunnel, soon arriving in a large cavern with a high ceiling. There were a couple figures standing by another tunnel exit leading out of the cavern, and it took Khrista a moment to recognize who they were.

"Is that Red and...." Khrista frowned for a moment, trying to remember the other boy's name.

"Black?" Misty asked, looking over at Khrista. When the blue-eyed girl nodded, Misty gave a nod, as well. "Yeah. Those two have been working together, since they were the first and last Champions that White ever really worked with. Come on -- they were waiting for me to show up to help work with Water-Type Trainers."

Misty led Khrista and the two Pokemon towards the two teenage boys standing at the other tunnel entrance. Vapor and Glacier ran ahead of the two, alerting Red and Black of the approach of the newcomers.

Red turned his head, and Khrista could see the connection with Ash nearly immediately. Their hair had the same black, spiky style as it poked out from under the baseball cap on Red's head -- even more wild than Ash's, in fact. There was a hint of humor in his red eyes, but he also looked tired and serious. The Pikachu sitting on Red's shoulder shared the look, although he had more of a knowing smirk than Red did.

Black, by contrast, was younger than Red by a year, maybe, and his black hair also poked out from under his red and white baseball cap. His dark eyes were strangely serious and held little to no humor at all.

"Uh...hi," Khrista stated, giving a nervous smile and equally nervous wave to the two teenagers. "I'm Khrista."

Black blinked in surprise. "Khrista? One of the kids the Lake Spirits have been going on about?" He frowned. "How did you get here?"

"Blame Joshua's Alakazam," Khrista stated quickly in reply, holding up her hands in order to fend off a possible verbal attack. "His Gengar told us to hightail it down here when they found out we were hiding up there."

"Hey, relax," Red stated, holding up a hand. "No need to get nervous. If you managed to get down here, all the better for us." He gave a grin, then held out his hand for Khrista to shake. "Name's Red, and that's Black." He motioned with his head towards the other boy standing nearby, who crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't mind him; he's been a killjoy for the past couple of weeks."

Khrista couldn't help but giggle as she shook Red's hand. "I could guess. He certainly looks like one."

Looking into Red's red eyes, though, caused her smile to fade. "Um...you look a lot like your brother."

The grin that was on Red's face vanished pretty quickly. "You've seen him."

Khrista nodded grimly. "Yeah. Chaos can tell you what happened if he and my team haven't already." Another thought crossed her mind then, and her smile reappeared, albeit much more devilish. "Although, he _doesn't_ know about what Ash has been doing at night when everyone's all snug in their beds."

"What do you mean?" Misty asked, frowning suspiciously.

"Ever met Darkrai?"

"Darkrai?" Red blinked. "What's he got to do with all this?"

"Let's just say that Ash could give the Nightmare King a run for his money, depending on what the Galactics would say about his spirit appearing in their dreams at night."

"Wait -- _what?_ " Pika looked surprised. "How's _that_ supposed to work?"

Khrista frowned as she tried to think back to what had happened when she had first interacted with the Ketchum boy. "He said he got some weird liberties because the Red Chain was supposed to work on Pokemon, not _humans_. So he gets to mess around with other people's heads whenever he wants to."

Khrista's frown deepened, and then she snapped her fingers before adding, "And, if he can build up enough emotional energy, he can yell stuff at whoever happens to be nearby."

The three Trainers and the Pokemon present stared at Khrista in surprise.

"And you know this _how_?" Black asked, frowning.

Khrista rubbed the back of her neck. "He...kinda popped in on me and told me about that stuff."

"You can't be serious," Misty stated.

Khrista scowled, then decided to quote something from a TV show she had kept up with until it was taken off the air a few years back. "Note serious face."

Khrista pointed to her scowl, then broke down and grinned. "He told me Darkrai's going to be bothering Cyrus, now, too, so who knows how mental _that_ guy's going to get."

Vapor chuckled. "That's an interesting thought."

"I would've thought the guy is _already_ mental," Glacier muttered.

"And why would the Lake Spirits have not told us about this?" Black demanded, his frown deepening. "They told us that there were three of you who weren't under Cyrus' control, but they didn't say anything about _this_."

Khrista blinked. "You guys know about Mist and my cousin?"

Red nodded. "They told us as soon as a team came over from the Underground and finally got to meet up with us. A lot's happened since then, though." He motioned for the others to follow him, and he ran into the tunnel entrance behind him. The others followed after the Kanto Champion.

"So, um...." Khrista looked over at Black, who happened to have chosen to run next to her as Misty went ahead.

Black glanced over at her. "What? Spit it out already."

"I'd a....heard that you ran into White in Unova."

"Ran into?" Black snorted. "I met her during the first Galactic fiasco in Sinnoh. Zekrom knew something was wrong and suggested we go check it out."

"Really?" Khrista blinked in surprise. "I didn't think --"

"I bet you didn't."

"Black, lighten up for once!" Red called back. "The kid probably doesn't know a lot of stuff, so take it easy on her."

Black opened his mouth in order to issue a retort, but the group exited the tunnel first and entered another cavern -- one that was slightly more noisy than the previous one on account of there being more people and Pokemon.

"Whoa...." Khrista looked around, her neck craning as she looked up at the strange crystal that was jammed into the ceiling and releasing a bright light that only added to the torches. "This is incredible!"

Red chuckled. "You really think so? You should see the view from the top of Mt. Silver."

"Especially when it _isn't_ snowing," Pika added meaningfully, giving his Trainer a pointed look. Red ignored it.

"Come on," Misty spoke up. "You said you wanted to meet up with at least one Pokemon of every Type, right?"

Khrista gave a nod, turning her attention to the Water-Type Gym Leader. "Yeah. I've gotta do a few things that I still have to learn, and a lot of that is in Types I haven't covered yet."

Red and Black exchanged glances.

"What are you talking about?" Black asked, raising an eyebrow.

Khrista blinked, then looked over at the two boys innocently. "You mean the Lake Spirits didn't tell you?" she asked somewhat cheekily, bouncing back and forth between the heels and balls of her feet.

Red shook his head, frowning. "What is it with you, Khrista?"

"If you're going to follow me around, you're going to find out pretty quickly. Is there a place where I can practice that there won't be many people around?"

"Uh...yeah, there are a lot of empty caves around here." Red motioned for Khrista to follow him, then started around the rock table in the middle of the room and towards one of the adjoining tunnels. Khrista started after him.

"We'll get some Pokemon together and meet you there!" Vapor called out after the pair.

"Thanks, Vapor!" Khrista called back, giving the Vaporeon a wave. Then she turned her full attention to following after Red.

"So, what was it like in there?" Red called back as he led Khrista through the tunnels.

"White everything," Khrista replied flatly. "And warp panels all over the place. I couldn't tell you up from down if I went back in there again. Or where I was in the building, even."

Pika let out what sounded like a whistle. "Sheesh, that sounds worse than when the Rockets redid everything in the Saffron Silph Co. building."

The trio soon arrived in another cavern that was large in both length and height, with two large crystals releasing light from the cave ceiling. Already in the chamber were a small number of Pokemon were gathered there.

Khrista's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Wow. This place looks like a great place to train!"

"That's what we thought when we pegged this place for our training grounds," Pika replied, grinning.

Khrista blinked in surprise. _"Your_ training grounds? I didn't --"

"It's fine," Red replied, holding up a hand. "Just let me stick around and see what you can do, all right?"

"Uh...yeah, sure." Khrista gave a hesitant nod, then turned to look at the group of Pokemon. "Looks like Vapor beat us here. Maybe now...." The brown-haired teen started forward, the Kanto Champion following after her.

The Vaporeon looked up as his Trainer approached. His tail wagged in greeting. "Hey, Khrista! Looks like we beat you here!"

"You got that right," Khrista replied, laughing. She looked around the group of eight Pokemon, frowning slightly. "...These are all Eeveelutions."

Vapor nodded. "I figured it'd be a good idea to get you started with the basics, even though one of them is part of a Type species so small they only found out about them recently."

The Vaporeon nodded to a pink, Eevee-like Pokemon with ribbons flowing from a bow on her neck. The Eeveelution gave a nod in return.

Khrista blinked in surprise, then gave a nod. "All right, then. Guess I'd better choose a Type and get started."

Red gave her a confused look. "What?"

"Just watch." Khrista's gaze moved around the group of Eeveelutions, and she stopped when she connected with the brown eyes of the Leafeon that was standing nearby. Slowly, the dull red of her shirt started to shift color, becoming a forest green.

Red and the Pokemon present stared at Khrista in surprise.

"How -- what --" the Leafeon stammered.

"All a part of who I am in this place," Khrista replied with a shrug. "Alak and Gangrene found out about it, so I'm kind of trying to learn how to use the different Types so that I can have a fighting chance." She got down on her knees in front of the Leafeon. "So, what's your name?"

The Leafeon looked a little surprised at the question. "Uh...my Trainer just called me Leaf."

"Leaf?" Khrista blinked. Something about it was familiar.... She smiled. "Cool name. So you can teach me how to use Grass-Type abilities?"

Leaf smiled and nodded. "Sure. Let's start with something easy -- for you...Absorb."

"Ok." Khrista gave a nod, then got to her feet and took a couple steps back. She glanced back at Red and his Pikachu. "You might want to get as far back as possible. Who knows what's going to happen when I start using unfamiliar Types."

Red and Pika exchanged glances, then the Kanto Champion moved back to the tunnel exit and leaned against a wall.

"All right." Leaf's ears twitched as she moved to sit down. "Let's start with you clearing your mind."

**Spacial Break**

_"I didn't think that an Alakazam would have been able to break out so easily,"_ Lien remarked from her perch on the cave's ceiling.

 _"Give a Pokemon enough willpower, and they can take on anything,"_ Jewels replied calmly. He looked over at Lien and Merlin, who was sitting nearby. _"You did talk to your chosen allies, right?"_

Merlin nodded, as did the Mesprit.

 _"Alak appreciated my warning, it seems,"_ the Uxie intoned. _"What of you? Did you speak with Joshua?"_

 _"Yeah. He's setting events up like a game of dominos. Won't be long before everything's ready to fall."_ Jewels grinned. _"I'm surprised you didn't talk to him, Merlin. He seems more like your type."_

 _"I'd considered it, but I knew that Alak needed me more than Joshua. He knows what he needs to do."_ Merlin nodded to the figures below them. _"We had better leave them to work in peace. Come; the Professors will be preparing to start the meeting shortly."_

The other two members of the Lake Spirit trio nodded, and the three disappeared in a bright flash of light.


	25. Plotting

_"Our apologies for being late,"_ Merlin stated as he and the other members of the trio appeared above a group of humans and a select few Pokemon.

"You're fine, old friend," Rowan replied gruffly. "We were just about to discuss he new addition which entered the Underground some time ago, as well as whatever strategies we might be able to deploy as a result." The Sinnoh professor nodded to Professor Elm, who happened to be standing across the room from him with a laptop in hand.

"Lance said that the amount of weaponry on the roof leaves little to no openings for attack," the Jhoto professor explained. "They don't seem to have anyone operating them from up there, so it's possible that they're run on computer systems. If they're not, there's a likely chance that there's a room somewhere deep in the building that contains the controls needed to operate them."

"Meaning we'll have to rely on Pokemon to take 'em out," Birch remarked thoughtfully. He looked down at Linoone, who was sitting to his right and eyeing everyone in the room expectantly. "The Avatar and Elite Four teams may have Pokemon that would be more than capable of going up there and removing the threat."

Linoone smiled. "Oh, yes! Ray will pack such a punch to those cannons!" His tail wagged, but that only caused it to look like the entire Normal-Type was shaking.

The Lake trio exchanged glances.

 _"Depending on what is going to occur in the near future, they may not be the only ones who could attack the roof,"_ Jewels stated carefully.

Professor Oak frowned. "What do you mean?"

 _"Our...newcomer, as you so aptly put it...may gain the ability to assist in the attack from the outside,"_ Merlin explained. _"It may take some time, but perhaps, in the near future --"_

"You can't be _serious_!" Elm gulped. "The child has the ability to --"

 _"She is exhibiting it presently within Deep Coronet,"_ Lien replied calmly. _"Vapor made it a point to gather members of his evolutionary line to assist her in her beginning training stages."_

Linoone frowned, then cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

 _"My dear friend....your Trainer is here, and she has changed drastically in the energy she gives off,"_ Merlin explained in a calm manner. _"She is as much a human as she is a Pokemon, thanks to the circumstances that brought her here."_

Birch's eyes widened. "You can't be serious, Merlin. A _human_ \-- part _Pokemon?"_

 _"Need I remind you of what_ White _has exhibited during her journeys in Sinnoh and Unova?"_ Merlin asked in response. _"Birch, like it or not, Khrista may have more connections to White than we may know."_

Birch frowned at the trio and crossed his arms over his chest while Linoone looked like his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets.

"All the same, you can't keep thrusting these abilities onto Trainers!" the Hoenn professor stated.

 _"It hasn't been us, believe me,"_ Jewels replied. _"There are others who have more control over time and space than we so, and higher powers who aren't under Cyrus' control at the moment."_

"What are you saying?" Juniper asked, speaking up for the first time during this meeting.

 _"He is saying that Arceus is merely a stand-in for a higher power,"_ Merlin replied. _"One which cannot be caught, despite what has been said of our present 'gods'."_

"While this discussion is all well and good, we have problems of our own to take care of," Rowan stated. "For instance, what are we to do with Khrista out _here_ and Joshua and Mist in _there?_ Something must be done in order to be able to make proper contact and actually set things in motion for the double attack that has been suggested so many times."

Merlin nodded in agreement. _"Her abilities are key in this plan,"_ he stated. _"Once she has gained control of them, we'll send her back and jump-start this whole ordeal."_ He looked over at Professor Birch. _"However, we must first get a plan together."_ With a wave of his hand, a hologram of the skyscraper appeared on the table the Professors were standing around. _"Obviously, we are capable of attacking anywhere on the skyscraper's surface."_

"But we still have to be cautious of those weapons," Oak added.

 _"Indeed,"_ Lien agreed. _"However, there is another way we can attack, though it will be tricky. By digging upward, we can reach the lower storage facilities of Cyrus' little home."_

 _"He leaves Plasma grunts down there,"_ Jewels added. _"They're the lowest of the low, in his opinion."_

"I'm sure Cheren would agree," Juniper remarked. "But we won't be able to fit everyone through a hole in his basement. I find it likely that our Trainers will be outnumbered."

"There are the numbers of the Pokemon population to consider, as well," Oak continued. "If anything, they'll be outnumbered when compared to the multitudes we have down here. And then, there are the children that can be rescued through our efforts."

Birch, who had been lost in thought for some time, now, suddenly suggested, "We need, at least, a two-way front." He pointed at Merlin's hologram in certain places as he continued, "Those with Flying Pokemon can attack from above and attract the attention of whatever defensive weapons this guy has. Everybody else can invade from down here and work our way up, that way, his followers' attention will be divided." After a moment, he added, "Khrista will be of great help, as well, if we get her back inside the way she came out, and then join forces with Joshua and start something that could cause major chaos."

 _"I believe she was planning on doing that before she came down here,"_ Lien murmured. _"She'll be more than happy to assist us in our endeavors against the man who brought her here in the first place."_

Azelf nodded. _"Her excitement and eagerness to do so are so overpowering, it will be a simple matter for us to point her in the right direction!"_ Looking around the table, he added, _"As we have already stated, Khrista has become part-Pokemon herself, with power on par with a Legendary the size of a Rayquaza."_

Oak's eyes widened. "Power on par with...." He trained off, shaking his head. "That's impossible."

"Says the man who made categorizing Pokemon the opposite," Birch remarked playfully. "Honestly, this sounds pretty believable, considering what else we've seen around here recently." He looked over at Azelf. "Have you seen her in action yet?"

Azelf shook his head. _"We will soon enough, if this works. When do you purpose a battle plan will actually be ironed out? I'm more than eager to start looking into that."_

Rowan and Birch exchanged glances.

"I already have something in mind," Rowan answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I really liked jumping between perspectives with this thing. I guess that explains why some chapters ended up so short....


	26. More Plotting

Joshua watched from his bunk as the steel door opened. With nothing to do other than sleep and eat, it was normal for him to take a nap at about noon, then go out for a quick run in the fitness center, where Charon made sure he never went anywhere close to any Pokemon whatsoever.

Not until Butch had given him that PokeBall, at least.

Joshua caught sight of Charon's head as the old man peered into the cell. Quickly, he leapt to the floor with about as little noise as he could. "Looking for me?"

Charon jumped a little at this, but recovered quickly. "You're coming with me." He opened the door a little wider, revealing the black box they forced him to travel around in.

Joshua shrugged. "You know that I can walk around without needing that thing," he remarked. "You really don't need to cart it around."

Charon frowned, then pointed at the black box as Butch opened a hidden door on one of the sides. Joshua rolled his eyes in return, but complied, squeezing himself into the small space. Butch shut the door behind him, leaving the hazel-eyed teen in a tangible darkness.

As the box began to move on well-oiled wheels, Joshua started to think. If Charon had been able to sense this, he would have reversed the cart's direction and sent him back to his cell. This had occurred other times, when a Grumpig or a Hypno had been brought along by the old scientist. However, Cyrus had sent all the Psychic-Types to some sort of secret storeroom, and they hadn't been heard from since.

Joshua's thoughts drifted to that of Khrista's location. He had been aware of Gangrene and Alak's original choice to stay, before Alak left with Khrista, at least. The idea of staying in a storeroom wasn't unheard of -- a few Pokemon, both wild and tamed, had been found in various empty storerooms already. At least, from what Joshua gathered from Charon's boasting.

However, none the only ones who had managed to escape were Khrista and the Psychic-Type.

The teen mentally paged through the list of kidnappees trapped within the skyscraper. There was a total of at least seven other kids that he knew from his world -- eight, if Silver was counted -- but only one of them was actually aware of what was going on, as Mist was free of any sort of control. The rest of them were all kids who lived on streets near Khrista's most likely, but that would mean that Charon and Cyrus had already narrowed down their search to a small area in town.

Plus some of the outskirts, if he had been pulled in, as well, but Joshua wasn't about to put that off as random luck on his or their part.

Joshua put a hand on the wall of the Box, fingering the fabric-like material. There was a lot of time for him to go over his plan, and a lot of time to think over loopholes or anything else that might cause something to go wrong.

The hazel-eyed teenager was confident, however, that there wasn't anything that was going to cause too much of a shift in his plans.

Yes, indeed: everything was following according to what he knew to take place, and it was only a matter of time before the remaining pieces fell into their proper positions.

Joshua closed his eyes, going over events in his head, considering what might happen if this or that took place. When the black box stopped moving, his plan had already become much more solid -- in more ways than one.

**Spacial Break -- change in POV (Charon; 3rd)**

Charon eyed the brown-haired boy as he got out of the black box, which had been made specifically for that child, just so that he couldn't see what they did within those halls and get any ideas. The teenager was too smart for his own good, and the scientist was doing everything he could to keep the boy from getting any smarter.

"Today, against my better judgement, we are going to forgo the fitness tests," Charon stated.

The hazel-eyed boy frowned slightly, but didn't respond verbally, as the Galactic scientists had suspected he would do.

"We are going to partner you up with someone today," Charon continued with a wry smile.

"A Pokemon?" the boy guessed, raising an eyebrow.

"No. I'm setting you up with a tutor."

The brown-haired teen became bored. "Yeah, sure. Like I need that." He placed his hands in his pockets, a sign Charon had associated with meaning that the kid had other ideas for what he could have been doing right then and there.

"He's got a point, Boss," Butch remarked. "All his record state that he knows everything there is to know."

Charon sent Butch a glare, and the ex-Rocket member kept anything else that would come out of his mouth with his left hand.

"I was referring to teaching you our ways," Charon continued. "You could become one of us. A Galactic."

"Does it look like I want to be?" The boy looked annoyed. "If I'd wanted to, I'd have kissed your boots the moment I had woken up." He spoke through clenched teeth, like he hated the words that were coming out of his mouth.

Butch looked like he wanted to gag at the mental picture, but he resisted the urge by tightening his grip in the black box's handlebar, gritting his teeth and shutting his eyes tightly.

Charon glared at the boy. "Run."

"Until when?" the hazel-eyed boy asked calmly in return.

"Until your feet fall off."

The boy shrugged, took his hands out of his pockets, and walked over to the track, picking his speed up until he was running.

Charon watched the boy, his anger still churning at dangerous levels. Ever since the boy had arrived, certain, normal events had begun to become imbalanced. Entire squadrons were becoming emotional, which was _not_ supposed to be a part of Cyrus' perfect world.

Cyrus had removed emotions, willpower, and knowledge from most of the human hearts under his command, but now they were coming back, and everything was going out of whack. Charon, who had heard of the Lake Spirits' absence, considered blaming them.

However, there could have been other causes, the scientist considered now. Especially considering the forces that had been brought through when White had been within that part of the world....


	27. Lunch Break

"Now!"

"Leaf Storm!" Khrsita exclaimed, summoning a flurry of leaves from out of nowhere and hurling them at her target in a swirling mass. The dummy Sharpedo was instantly shredded by the attack, causing the stuffing to come poking out of multiple holes.

Leaf, who was sitting nearby, gave a nod of approval. "Not bad for a first try. Your charging time could be a problem if you're planning on using it in the near future, but with practice, you should be able to master it in no time."

"Right," Khrista agreed, nodding, she relaxed her stance, and her shirt changed from green to the usual dull red. A moment later, however, there was a bright flash on her chest, causing the brown-haired teen looked down.

"Uh...that wasn't there before," she noted.

"No, it wasn't," agreed a Flareon, coming over with Vapor and a Jolteon. He looked up at the sphere that had appeared on Khrista's shirt. "It looks like a Master Ball."

"But it's yellow," the Jolteon pointed out.

The Flareon turned to face his Electric-Type counterpart. "Does it matter what color it is?" he demanded, sounded angered.

"Hey, calm down," Vapor stated, placing his tail on the Flareon's back. "The color of a sphere isn't what matters." He looked up at his Trainer. "What does is why it appeared in the first place."

"It looks like it might help in telling whether or not I'm using my powers," Khrista guessed, frowning. She looked over at the Flareon curiously, then felt her gut shift as her mimicking ability became active.

A moment later, her shirt shifted into a brighter, more vibrant red, and the yellow Master Ball vanished in a flash.

"Yup." The brown-haired girl gave a nod. "Looks like it makes a difference between Fire and when my abilities aren't active." Khrista turned her blue eyes in the Flareon. "What do you say? Can we work on my Fire attacks next?"

The Flareon nodded. "But we're going to need lunch first -- follow me!" He took off towards the cave tunnel, running past Red and Pika. The rest of the Eeveelutions followed after the Fire-Type, leaving Khrista behind.

"Flare's right," Red called out through the cave. "You're probably not going to be able to do much with Fire-Type attacks on an empty stomach."

Khrista opened her mouth in order to respond, only to hear a growling noise come from her stomach. The teen's blue eyes drifted down, and she blinked as her shirt shifted back to the dull red.

A sheepish smirk came over her face.

"Yeah, I guess so," Khrista remarked, looking back up at Red. "Which way to the food?"

Red gave a wry smile, then took off into the tunnel.

Khrista, momentarily thrown off by his sudden burst of speed, became panicked and took off after him, yelling, "Hey! Wait up!"

Red's laughter echoed through the tunnel ahead of Khrista, but the teen soon caught sight of the back of his red jacket and managed to pour on the speed in order to catch up with him. The two took a turn in the tunnel that Khrista hadn't seen before, and a moment later they came out into another cavern that looked identical to the one Khrista had entered when she had arrived in Deep Coronet.

Only, this room had tables scattered around the cavern instead of one large long table, and there was food _everywhere._ Trainers and Pokemon alike were gathered around the tables, and mulling around the cavern, eating and chatting with one another.

"Wow..." Khrista murmured, looking around the cavern. She turned to look at Red and ask him something, but the Trainer had already taken off for a group of waving figures.

This left Khrista standing alone with a somewhat bemused expression on her face.

The teen let out a sigh and shrugged. "Well, food's food," she remarked. With that, she trotted over to an empty table, found a clean plate and loaded it with a couple ham sandwiches (well, it _looked_ like ham, at least), a couple Oran Berries (just to try them out of curiosity), and a small, plastic bottle of water.

"Now to just find out where to sit...." Khrista turned slowly, looking around the room in order to find a place where she could sit near friends -- or, perhaps, possible friends. If she didn't find anybody, she'd just sit down at the empty table she stood by now.

_"Hey, kid! You look like you're looking for something."_

Khrista stiffened when she heard the voice echo in her head, and she turned sharply in order to find out where the source of it was. Her eyes widened, and she tilted her head back in order to see who it was that had spoken.

"Rayquaza?" Khrista asked in awe, looking up with wide eyes.

The green dragon gave a sharp-toothed grin. _"I've been going by Ray for a while, now -- there are a lot of Rayquaza in the area already, and someone needs to be able to tell us apart."_ Ray's head came down, and the dragon looked Khrista over with one eye. _"I heard you've got more to you than when we last saw each other."_

Khrista gave a sheepish grin. "Did news travel fast?"

_"Among Pokemon -- I don't know if the Trainers are aware of it yet."_

"Well, they might soon." Khrista sent a sidelong glance in Red's direction; the Kanto Trainer was talking animatedly. "Red was watching me while I was working with Leaf. Her Flareon brother is going to be next."

Ray gave a nod. _"Get the basics out of the way first. Not a bad idea."_

"You can thank Vapor for that. He gathered other Eeveelutions so that I could get them out of the way first." Khrista gave a smirk, but that soon faded. "Thing is, though, that doesn't cover _all_ the Types, and while Gangrene did teach me about Ghost-Types, that pretty much covers my 'outside the Eevees' training." Khrista shrugged. "There's a lot of stuff that I still have to cover before I've gone through all the Types."

Ray retracted his head so that he could look at Khrista with both eyes. He cocked it to one side. _"I think that I can assist you in that."_

Khrista looked up at the Dragon/Flying-Type in surprise. "Really?"

The Rayquaza gave a nod. _"Yes. Once you've gotten the other Types out of the way, then I can show you how to use Dragon attacks...and Draco Meteor."_

A large grin broke out on Khrista's face. "Thanks, Ray! I'll make sure to look for you as soon as I finish with the others."

Ray gave a nod, then turned his head slightly as though he had heard something. _"I'd better get going. Drake's Druddigon is causing problems again."_

Khrista gave a nod in return, then watched her Rayquaza fly off. Then, suddenly remembering that she was holding a full plate and bottle of water still, she sat down at the empty table and started eating.

As Khrista was getting through her first sandwich, a voice behind her asked, "Mind if I join you?"

Khrista looked up and almost choked on her mouthful out of surprise, but resisted the urge in order to keep from ruining the other's appearance.

"Not at all," she responded after swallowing.

"Thanks!"

A girl in a dark green dress that matched her eyes plopped down next to Khrista. Her pink puffball -- a Jigglypuff -- took an open seat next to the red-haired girl.

After giving an Oran Berry to the Pokemon, Green asked, "You're Khrista, right? The girl who got away from the torture building up there?"

Khrista nodded, her surprise increasing. "How did you know?"

The Kanto Trainer smirked. "News of your arrival has spread faster than a Charizard running from a rainstorm. Almost everybody knows already."

"Really?" Khrista was intrigued. "And who'd _you_ hear it from?"

"Misty and her Pokemon have been spreading the news around for the past hour. I didn't think that the Water-Type Trainer could be such a gossip." Green's smirk widened into a grin. "The Pokemon are certainly excited about meeting someone who knows White."

 _"Might_ know," Khrista corrected. "I'm pretty sure that there isn't anybody in my neighborhood who goes by that name -- as far as I know." She took another bite of her sandwich when a thought occurred to her. "How did you guys get this much food down here? Wouldn't that be a bit difficult living underground?"

"The Exploration Teams and Elite Four groups have been raiding nearby towns, so food isn't a problem." Green picked up a sandwich from her plate and nibbled on it a little. "What exactly were you doing with all those Eeveelutions, anyway? You know you can't take all of them as a team wherever you go."

"I know that," Khrista responded. "They're just helping me out with something."

"And you need all eight?"

Khrista smiled nervously. "News'll probably spread of why soon enough. Red and Pika have seen me working already -- maybe you can try and get it out of him?"

Green frowned. "There's no way _he's_ going to talk."

Khrista shrugged. "Well, sorry, but he was the one who wanted to see why I needed a place to train by myself." She gave a wry smile out of embarrassment.

"But you are the last kid through." Green pointed the crust of her sandwich at Khrista as though it were some accusing finger.

Khrista gave a nod, then took a bite out of her second sandwich and swallowed. "Yup. That's what I've heard, anyway. Ash said that they were planning on using me to get to White, but they'll never get a chance now." She grinned.

Green grinned back and was about to say something else when a Pokemon's call echoed through the cavern.

"Khrista!" the Flareon bellowed. "Are we gonna train or are you gonna sit there and talk?!"

Khrista looked over in the direction of the Flareon, then called, "I'm coming, Flare!" She grinned at Green. "Gotta go. Can't keep the Pokemon waiting."

"Good luck with that," the Kanto Trainer responded, smirking.

Khrista gave a nod, then got up from her chair and jogged towards the tunnel, finishing off the sandwich with one hand and carrying the Oran Berries and water bottle in the other.

Green exchanged glances with her Jigglypuff as Khrista ran off. Both looked somewhat confused, but knowing expressions soon followed as they turned to look in the way Khrista had gone.

"What _is_ that kid?" Green muttered.

 


	28. Dreamscape, Joshua Edition

Joshua was pacing around in a room themed with shades of blue, muttering to himself, when a young man stepped into the room by slamming the door open.

The hazel-eyed teen stopped short and turned his gaze towards the figure. "Don't you _ever_ knock?"

"You know I've stopped bothering to because we're the only ones here," the young man replied, stepping into Joshua's bedroom. Crystal blue eyes scanned over a poster of a kid in blue armor on the wall before locking with Joshua's hazel, green speckled orbs. "I've found a way to isolate your communications signal, but it may take time."

"Time we probably don't _have,_ Blitzen," Joshua grumbled in reply. He absently adjusted his dark blue shirt, eyeing the neon blue jacket that Blitzen was wearing over a dusty blue shirt. "Who knows how much we have before Charon gets that portal generator working and attracts her like you've been saying it will."

"Your visions haven't lied yet," Blitzen replied, spreading his arms out. Joshua caught sight of white scars working their way up the man's left arm, but they were gone in a moment when Blitzen put his hands in his pockets. "Do you want me to show you how to isolate the signal to block out eavesdroppers or not?"

Joshua frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. As soon as he had moved, their surroundings instantly started to blur and morph into something else.

Gray walls came up around the two, and rows of bunkbeds rose up from the floor. Two figures started walking between the beds, muttering to each other. As they got close to Joshua and Blitzen, their conversation was clearly heard:

"Those kids are doing a good job at keeping their identities and plans on the down low," one of the figures remarked. "I have no idea how smart those two are, but --"

"The walls have ears," the other figure growled in a gruff voice that matched his beard. "It seems they know it as much as we do. Now, listen." He turned in front of the first figure and grabbed him by his black and white-striped shirt collar. "Continue to monitor their communications. If anything comes up, move to contact one of them as soon as possible -- be it either this Mist...or Boggart."

Their surroundings shifted again, and Joshua and Blitzen stood again in Joshua's bedroom.

Blitzen blinked, looking around at the reset room. "Okay. I'll...take that as a no."

Joshua gave a nod and let his arms drop to his sides. "Yeah. I'm getting the feeling that I should be getting contact from them soon."

"And the goons that have been wandering around? What's to say that they aren't listening in, either?" Blitzen took a few steps forward and looked down at Joshua. "I'm not going to let you suffer from what I have if they find out what you can do."

Joshua frowned, then looked over at Blitzen's left wrist, which was still in his jean pocket. "What do you mean? You're just a figment of my imagination."

Blitzen's eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned and face the bedroom door. "There's more to me than you know, Joshua." Without another word, he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

For the umpteenth time, Joshua wondered what the face-like symbol on Blitzen's back meant. ****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blitzen and Arsenal -- the figure Khrista met in her dreams -- both have other names and appear in one of my other fics. I'll get that one posted here eventually.


	29. Meet the Professors

"Keep it up, Khrista -- just a little bit higher!"

Khrista frowned, gritting her teeth in concentration as she tried to lift the boulder using Telekinesis onto the already tall stack of rocks she had created.

The teen had managed to learn the basics of six of the Eeveelution Types over the past few days, mastering most of them within a day or two. At present, she was trying to get more of an understanding of the Psychic-Type, since Alak hadn't truly been able to teach her enough of the techniques she needed.

Now, it was Elaine, an Espeon who had been trained by Mist, who had taken the job of teaching her.

Khrista let out a low growl as he powers reaches their limit, the boulder she was lifting levitating right next to the rock already at the top of the pile. Waving her arms around like a band conductor, she tried to get it higher, only to receive a pounding headache. the boulder fell to the ground with a bang.

Elaine flinched as the rock hit the earth. "Looks like we've found your limit," she remarked, her pronged tail twitching. Her pink head inclined as she looked up at the pile of boulder. "I have to say, though, I don't think I've ever been able to lift up that many boulders that high before."

"Nor I."

Khrista's head turned sharply, and she caught sight of Sabrina and a Haunter standing at the cavern's entrance. Obviously, news of what the teen was doing had reached even the Psychic-Type Gym Leader, making Knrista wonder if Green had managed to get Red to talk...or if one of the Eeveelutions she had been working with spread the news.

"You certainly have quite a gift, if you can lift seven boulders of that size," the Kanto Trainer continued as she approached the teen and the Espeon.

Khrista became embarrassed and surprised by the statement. "Really?"

The Haunter nodded, which looked like his entire body shook up and down except for his hovering hands. "Sabrina lifts two, maybe three at once, but not ones that are _that_ big." He motioned to the pile of boulders between Khrista and the cave wall.

"Cackle," Sabrina stated, giving the Haunter a cold look.

The Ghost/Poison-Type shrugged, smirking. "What? It's true."

"Cackle?" Khrista repeated in confusion, cocking her head.

"It's the name I had back at Lavender Tower," Haunter replied, grinning. "Where did _you_ get your name, kid?"

"Mine?" Khrista blinked in confusion. "Uh...Mom and Dad just gave me the name when I was born. I don't know why, they just did." She shrugged.

Haunter scowled. "Names are given for a reason. You should get a different name that fits _you_."

"We'll cover that later," Sabrina replied. She looked at Khrista directly. "What I want to know is what you can do."

Khrista smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Alak only got to teach me how to Teleport, Confusion, and other support-style attacks, but I haven't been able to learn any honest-to-goodness attacks yet."

The Psychic-Type Gym Leader frowned, then she walked forward until she stood next to Khrista. Looking up at the pile of boulders, she stated, "I think I can teach you how to use an ability that an Espeon wouldn't be able to use unless through...strenuous circumstances."

Elaine looked up at Sabrina with a curious expression. "What are you suggesting?"

"Psycho Cut."

Khrista's eyes widened considerably. "Really?"

"Yes. First, you need good footing." Sabrina held an arm in front of her, one foot in front of the other.

Khrista blinked. "Does it matter which foot or arm is in front of the other?"

"No; I've seen multiple Gallade with right or left first; it does not matter."

Khrista gave a nod, then got into her own stance, placing her left foot in front of her right, about a shoulder-width apart, and moved her left arm in front of her golden shirt.

"Now, you're going to need together your energy and send it into your arm," Sabrina continued. Khrista looked over, but the Kanto Trainer didn't return the look. Instead, her arm started to glow with green energy tinted with purple.

A moment later, Sabrina's arm flew forward, and the energy flew off in the form of a blade-like construct. It flew straight and hit the cave wall to the right of the pile of boulders, leaving a dent in the wall.

"Whoa...." Khrista looked from the dent to Sabrina, wide-eyed. "I knew you had _some_ Psychic abilities because of the anime, but I didn't think that it went this far."

"You learn something new every day, it seems," Sabrina replied, relaxing her stance. "Your turn, Khrista."

Khrista swallowed, then turned her attention to the pile of boulders, which was directly in front of her. She got down a little further in her stance, now holding her arm in front of her chin more than her chest. A look of concentration came over her face as her energy shifted into a dense form around her left arm. It wasn't long before her arm started to glow a watery purple.

Khrista let out a grunt as she threw her arm forward, causing the energy to fly off her arm. However, the energy was not quite as straight and sure as Sabrina's had been, and it flew off to one side, nicking a boulder and causing it to wiggle as the energy dissipated.

The wiggling was enough; the entire pile collapsed with a loud, resounding _boom_.

Khrista let out a sigh and relaxed her stance. "Shoot. I was hoping to get it on my first try."

"It was good for a first try," Sabrina replied calmly. "However, that isn't the reason why I came here."

"It isn't?" Khrista blinked in surprise. "Then what is it?"

"The Professors wanted to send someone over here so that they could get you into the Underground and talk to you."

"Wha -- really?"

Cackle bob-nodded. "Birch is _really_ eager to meet you in person." The Haunter grinned.

Khrista grinned, her shirt going from Psychic gold to its normal dull red color; the yellow Master Ball materialized seconds later.

"I'd like to meet him, too," she remarked. "They're back in the Underground, right?"

"That's where they have remained since Deep Coronet was discovered," Sabrina confirmed. She turned towards the tunnel exit she had come in from and motioned for Khrista to follow her. "Come on; I'll show you where it is."

"Thanks!" Khrista looked back at Elaine and the pink, ribbon-covered Pokemon that was sitting nearby. "I'll come back to you guys later and finish up my training, okay?"

Elaine nodded. "I've given you all that I think you'll need -- Sylvia will be working with you when you get back." She nodded to the ribbon-covered Eeveelution, who nodded back.

Khrista nodded. "Ok. Thanks." She turned and started to jog after Sabrina, catching up with the Gym Leader and slowing to a walk in order to keep pace.

"So...any reason why they sent you?" Khrista asked, cocking her head in curiosity as she looked over at the dark-haired woman.

"Perhaps they thought I would be of some sort of help," Sabrina replied. "I have had more experience with...psychic abilities than others."

"There are other Psychic Trainers around, right? Like...Tate and Liza?"

"They're stuck in one of our fake Gyms," Cackle explained.

"Really?" Khrista frowned. "Oh, yeah -- you guys don't have your own Gyms down here, do you?"

"No. We rotate depending on what the day might be -- at least, in what might be considered a week. Erika will be replaced by Gardenia soon, and I will be stepping in for...the twins of Mossdeep."

"They run the clocks around here," Cackle added.

"That makes sense -- they do own a Lunatone and a Solrock."

Sabrina frowned. "And you know this how?"

"I've fought them in a Gym Battle through my video games," Khrista responded. "My Swampert and Mighteyna were integral in beating them."

Sabrina gave Khrista a curious look. "Oh?"

Khrista nodded. "Lunatone is a Rock/Psychic-Type and Solrock's a Fire/Rock-Type. Swamp's Water moves were super effective against both, and Mighteyna assisted in taking out Lunatone. Course, Xatu and Claydol were also a bit of a problem, but Raichu helped against the Flying/Psychic-Type, and Swamp had Claydol easy."

"You certainly know a lot about us," Cackle noted.

"I was one of the people who went to all the regions," Khrista answered, "so it would make sense that I had this sort of knowledge." She smirked. "The people up there don't know that, though. All they know is that I'm a Trainer from Hoenn and Sinnoh -- and that's it."

"They didn't learn anything else about you?" Sabrina looked slightly surprised.

"All they did was lock me in a room with the corresponding regions and had me answer a bunch of questions." Khrista shrugged. "I've played all the games, so it was kinda a no-brainer, but I just hit 'Research' instead of letting them know I actually played the games." She grinned. "I know more than they realize."

Cackle grinned, then let out a laugh. "Awesome! You're quick on the draw, kid. Have you done anything else to them?"

Khrista gained an embarrassed expression. "No...not really..." Her expression brightened a moment later. "But Ash has! He got Darkrai to mess with Cyrus' head."

Sabrina and Cackle now looked _really_ surprised, and they exchanged looks before looking back at Khrista.

"How is that even possible?" Sabrina demanded, frowning. "Ash is --"

"Using the liberties he got when the Red Chain hit him," Khrista replied, grinning. "He can wander into people's heads at night and scare them half to death if he wants to, _and_ he can build up emotion to the point where he can break free for a little bit and yell at anybody in earshot. He managed to tell Darkrai to have at it."

Cackle's jaw dropped, bounced on the floor comically, then hit home, causing the Haunter to do a backflip.

"I find that hard to believe!" Cackle barked one he had righted himself.

"I don't," Sabrina responded. "This sort of event has been spoken of among psychics with a sort of reverence. To be able to traverse the Dream Realm is a coveted ability many search for, but few obtain. Very few survived the process of gaining such power.... What else did you say the Red Chain allow him to do?"

"Build up emotion to snap at people," Khrista replied. "If he knows I'm no longer in the building, he could be trying to do that a lot more in a regular day than he usually is. I mean, he's visiting Pikachu every single night now, probably, so that's going to give him a lot of emotional ammo, too."

"That would make sense," Cackle remarked. He looked ahead of the group. "Looks like we're almost through."

Sure enough, the group had reached the end of the tunnel and emerged from it between the two gray buildings. Tate and Liza were waiting nearby with their Lunatone and Solrock floating beside them.

"You were almost late," Tate warned Sabrina as the group approached.

"Erika's having a little trouble with a challenger, though," Liza added. "So we have to wait for a little longer."

"What sort of challenger?" Khrista asked, intrigued.

 _"The pair known as Eliza and Grace,"_ Lunatone responded. _"The Espeon and Eevee from your your world."_

Khrista blinked in confusion for a moment, only for her eyes to widen a moment later. "Eliza? She's in my grade at school! I'd heard that there was something wrong going on after Matthew disappeared, but I didn't think she and her sister had ended up here!"

"Matthew?" Liza frowned, as did her twin brother. "Is that the name of--"

"--one of the Avatars that was brought here?" Tate finished.

Khrista nodded. "Yeah, he lives across the street from me. His entire family plays the games, but I heard that one of them didn't get pulled through."

One of the buildings' doors opened at this point, and an Espeon, and Eevee, and Gym Leader Erika emerged.

"...and that is why I can't decide what Type I want to be!" the Eevee was exclaiming in frustration.

"Well, you'll have to made up your mind about it pretty soon," the Espeon warned. "I've been hearing rumors that we're going to be heading up in attack formation pretty soon."

"You know, I think that a Glaceon would look a whole lot better than that pink one with ribbons," Khrista spoke up.

The two Pokemon's heads turned, catching sight of their still human friend. Erika looked over, as well, frowning upon hearing the new voice.

"Khrista?" Eliza guessed, cocking her head, curious.

"The one and only," Khrista confirmed with a smile. "How're you guys doing? I didn't think you'd end up getting pulled into this."

"We didn't play the Trainer games," the Eevee stated pointedly. "We played with the Exploration Teams!"

Eliza gave a nod. "Yeah. I've dabbled a little with actually training Pokemon, but I wanted to actually _be_ one a whole lot more than other people, I guess." The Espeon shrugged.

"And your sister followed in your footsteps, I'm guessing," Khrista stated, looking over at the Eevee. "Grace, right?"

"Yup!" The Eevee grinned. "It's a lot of fun to be a Pokemon!"

"In your opinion, perhaps," Erika replied, placing her hands in the sleeves of her kimono. "However, I cannot help but wonder if those who have gone through the transformation long to be what they were before."

"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence," Khrista offered.

Erika's expression brightened, and she gave Khrista a nod. "Exactly." She looked around the group. "Well, I had better restore my team and prepare for a good spar. The Trainers are challenging us even outside of our Gyms, now." With that, the Kanto Trainer turned and walked away with a calm air about her.

"Speaking of which, you'd better get to the Professors' place," Cackle reminded Khrista, nudging the brown-haired teen with one claw.

The teen nodded. "Right." She grinned in Grace's and Eliza's direction. "I'll see you guys later, then."

"We've got a lot to catch up on," Eliza agreed. "And if you're looking for the Professors, they're in that white building over there." The Espeon pointed with a paw towards the mentioned building, which Khrista noted was right next to a rather dilapidated, smaller house that looked somewhat familiar.

"Thanks!" Khrista gave Eliza a nod, then turned and started for the white two-story. Within a minute, she had crossed the Square and was standing in front of the door.

Khrista could feel her heart start to hammer in her chest, and she took in a breath in order to try and calm down...which was difficult, considering that she was about to meet the professors who had given you your first Pokemon at the start of the games. "Ok...here goes." She grabbed the door handle and turned it, pushing the door open. "Hello?"

Khrista nearly froze when she saw the Pokemon Professors -- and the Lake Trio -- standing around a table and looking at papers that had been scattered all over the place.

A familiar white and brown striped dog Pokemon looked up from a bowl of Pokemon food. A grin instantly appeared on his face. "Khrista! You're here!" He bounded over to Khrista and put his front paws on her stomach in an attempt to get closer.

"Hey, buddy," Khrista replied, grinning. She felt her stomach twinge and let her mimicry ability take over, turning her shirt into a dull gray. "Have you been good for the professors?"

"He's been a joy to have around," Professor Birch replied. Khrista looked over at the Hoenn professor, and noticed that he was staring at her in surprise. "Uh...what did you just do, exactly?"

Khrista frowned, resetting back to the "No Type" of humankind. "You haven't been told? I can mimic Types and use their attacks."

"Like a Ditto?" Oak asked, blinking in surprise.

Khrista gave a nod. "Yeah, something like that." She looked around the room again. "Is there anything you need me for? Because I was kind of about to figure out what Type a Sylveon is supposed to be."

Professor Birch blinked blankly for a moment, then gained a grin. "Right. We wanted some input on our battle plan from when you were in the citadel above us." He motioned for the teenager to come over to the table and have a better look at the scattered papers.

Khrista came over and looked over the schematics. "Is there anything you need to know specifically? Because I can't make heads or tails of this stuff, and I didn't exactly go out and wander around the place."

 _"What we need is infiltration."_ The Uxie motioned to the map. _"Cyrus has psychic defenses set up in certain locations, so my siblings and I are no longer capable of mentally accessing those within his lair unless we use great amounts of energy. This is why you were forced from your hiding place originally -- they managed to detect our midnight visit to you and Alak."_

"And my own movements," Khrista muttered, to which the Psychic-Type nodded.

 _"We need someone with an unnoticeable amount of Psychic abilities to sneak in and take out the Psychic sensors,"_ the Azelf continued. _"Plus, if that someone could weaken the other defenses, that'd be great, too."_ The blue pixie grinned at the thought.

"Um...I'm guessing you want either me, Josh, or Mist to do that," Khrista stated slowly, looking from the Azelf to Lien. She gave the Mesprit a helpless look that hopefully conveyed that she didn't know whether the other two members of the Lake Trio had names or not.

Lien's eyes widened, and she gave a nervous smile. _"Oh, dear. It seems Khrista doesn't know if you two have given yourselves names or not!"_ She looked amused by the idea.

 _"Ah."_ The Uxie turned to look at Khrista -- well, as best he could, considering that his eyes were shut. _"I am called Merlin, and my companion is Jewels."_

Azelf gave a grin and a wave before gaining a serious expression. _"Now that introductions are out of the way, do you think you can take out the psychic sensor and weaken that citadel's defenses?"_

Khrista blinked in slight confusion at the sudden change in demeanor, then frowned. "Uh...maybe, if I can get some more training in. I don't know what I'm going to run into up there, but --" She stopped herself short. "Wait a minute. Do you want me to go back up there before the rest of you guys?"

Birch gave a nod. "You're our only connection to Joshua and Mist from the sound of it, so we're going to need you to go up there and let them know what's going on."

"...It may be a bit difficult if they're going to know as soon as I get up there." Khrista was starting to feel nervous about the idea of going back up. "When do you guys plan on attacking?"

"Any day, now," Professor Cedric Juniper replied. "However, we're sending you back a little earlier than our estimated time of attack."

Khrista blinked. "How soon do you want to send me back?"

"We were thinking...about two days," Elm replied.

"Two days?" Khrista repeated in surprise. "It's only been three, and I still haven't mastered all the Types yet!"

"Unfortunately, we don't have the time to allow you to do so," Rowan replied. "If anything, I would suggest you look into what you consider to be the most difficult Type and concentrate on that one before leaving."

Khrista nodded, frowning as she thought of what . "The only Type that I think is the most difficult is the Dragon-Type. I'd better get back to Mt. Coronet and find Rayquaza." She turned and started to leave.

 _"Don't rely on just your Rayquaza,"_ Uxie called after her. _"Gather all the Dragon-Types you have available and have them train you."_

Khrista glanced back at the Legendary as she reached the door. "All right; I'll give it a try."

With that, she opened the door and walked out of the lab.


	30. A Scientist's Revelations

Cyrus had reached the point where Darkrai's visions affected his time awake as well as what remained of his attempts at rest. The grunts and Commanders had learned quickly to avoid him as much as possible and, when he wasn't avoidable, just stand and take what he had to say and pretend to listen...or run away as fast as their legs could carry them.

At the point in time that Khrista was running back to Mt. Coronet, Cyrus was stalking Charon as the scientist was making his rounds. Charon was doing his best to ignore him, but Cyrus kept muttering about how a Lucario was protecting him from Darkrai. It sounded so childish that the Galactic scientist wanted to turn around and smack his hallucinating boss, but to do so might mean a position worse off than where the old man already was.

"Have you caught Cresselia yet?"

Charon let out a sigh. "No, we haven't. The Pokemon has continued to elude us."

A faint, sinister laugh echoed in the back of the scientist's mind, forcing him to resist the urge to shudder.

"I'm beginning to consider sending _you_ out there," Cyrus remarked darkly.

"I have the children to consider, sir," Charon reminded him. "Someone has to keep an eye on those mindless creatures and that boy."

"I need Cresselia, Charon, and I will send them out to get it if I have to."

"I am aware of that," Charon responded without looking back at Team Galactic's leader. "However, it's going to take some time to prepare them for the upside world. They were practically turned into vegetables by that machine, you know."

"That's what it was meant to do," Cyrus responded calmly. Charon, however, sensed malice in the man's voice as he spoke. "It made them mindless soldiers to obey our every command."

"It also stripped them of most of their knowledge of this place," Charon growled darkly. "Without that, they're as useless as Magikarp."

"So you've said." Cyrus walked around to stand in front of Charon, stopping the scientist. "However, they are without spirit, making them perfect."

 _Perfectly useless,_ Charon thought bitterly. His eyes widened, and he realized what he had just thought. _Cyrus' "perfect world".... If I'm living in it, then why do I still exhibit things of the old one?_

In front of him, Cyrus suddenly collapsed from exhaustion, startling the scientist out of his thoughts.

 _"Cyrus' perfect world never existed,"_ a dark voice hissed, echoing in the hallway. _"The Lake Spirits would have been destroyed if it was. Arceus took precautions not to let that happen, and now we're taking precautions against you. Choose your side wisely...."_

As the voice slowly disappeared, the words hit home in Charon's mind. A hidden sixth sense awakened, telling him that something big was going to happen, something that would most likely end up with him worse off than he had been before.

The scientist quickly summoned a pair of Goth Joys to carry Cyrus to his chambers, thinking, _I must act quickly...._


	31. Dragon Training

_"You need_ all _of us to teach you how to be a Dragon-Type?"_ Ray asked, surprised.

Khrista nodded, looking around the crowd of Pokemon she had befriended. "The Professors want me to go back in about two days' time, so that I can start rounding up the imprisoned inhabitants and take out what defenses they have. I figured that having the Dragon-Type under my belt might help."

"I should think so," a pink Dragonair agreed, the tip of his tail twitching. "Where do you want us to start?"

"The basics, Arius. You'll have to decide together what the 'basics' are, though -- this is that one chance you'll have to train me."

The assembled Dragon-Types looked at each other, then went into a huddle as Khrista sat down on the rocky floor, smiling as she listened to the Pokemon's voices -- both her Rayquaza's rumbling murmur and the mutterings of Joshua's, White's, and Mist's Dragon-Types.

It sounded like Arius wanted to start out with Dragon Rage, Dragonbreath, and Twister, which were moves that were normally taught to younger Dragon-Types, as well as the occasional Rock, Flying, or Fire-Type. Lyra, an Altaria, wanted to start with Dragon Dance, and Georgia, one of the "rare" red Gyrados, agreed. Meanwhile, Don and Silas, the Flygon and Salamence, were conversing with Drift -- a Dragonite -- about techniques for teaching Dragon Rush and Dragon Claw. Dreadfyl the Druddigon was doing the same with Hax, a Haxerous, concerning Dragon Tail. And, in the center of the group, Rosa, a Latias, was conversing with Ray (who had informed Khrista of his name change) about Draco Meteor and Dragon Pulse.

After some time, the Pokemon began to argue among themselves which one would teach Khrista first, eventually splitting into separate groups in different areas of the cave, with Rosa and Ray remaining in the center of the cavern.

"So, you've come to a decision?" Khrista asked as she stood up.

Rosa nodded. _"We're going to have you go around and learn the techniques from each of us in any order, except you can only come to Ray and I last."_

 _"Since they really couldn't come to an agreement on who would teach you first, they decided that you should be the one to make the decision,"_ Ray added.

Khrista let out a breath to release whatever stress that might have built up in their system. "All right, then." She looked around the cave, confiding her options.

_I'll want to start with something simple, to ease myself into it....Dragon Dance raises Attack and Speed, but it won't truly help unless I've got other Dragon abilities mastered...._

Eventually, she decided on where she was going first, and Khrista strode over to where Arius waited.

"Which attack do you wish to learn first?" Arius asked as Khrista approached.

"I want to give Twister a try," Khrista replied calmly. "It kinda looks like it's based off the Flying-Type move Gust."

"I've been told that it was the other way around," the pink Dragonair replied. "According to legend, Dragons were created first, and the other Pokemon came after, inventing moves based off what we knew." He slithered around Khrista, looking the brown-haired teen over. "Hmmm.... Have you tried to maintain a Dragon-Type form?"

"Not yet," Khrista admitted, "but I haven't exactly been close to any Dragon-Types down here yet." She felt a wrenching feeling in her gut as her mimicry activated and tried to make Khrista a Dragon-Type. However, her shirt only flickered to royal blue for a moment before reverting back to dull red.

Arius frowned. "Let's start with that, then, before I being to lecture you. What do you do in order to activate different Types?"

"I get this...wrenching feeling in my gut when I'm copying a Type, but after that I can just switch to a Type by thinking about it." To demonstrate, Khrista shifted to Grass-Type, then Psychic-Type, then Dark-Type before going back to the "No-Type" of humankind.

Arius cocked his head to one side, then nodded slightly. "All right, then. Perhaps it is not just the ability to mimic that you have to use in order to gain access to the Dragon-Type."

Khrista frowned. "What are you suggesting?"

"I suggest that you think of something that brings dragons to your mind in an instant. Not Dragon-Types, but _dragons_."

Khrista blinked blankly. "Dragons...." Her mind went through everything that she had heard, read, and seen about the scaly beasts back at home. Giant, winged lizards moved across her mental vision, standing tall and proud and filled with a lot of power and energy.

Almost as though they were...regal creatures.

"I'm getting the feeling that you guys are regal Pokemon of sorts," Khrista stated, looking over at Arius. Her shirt flickered royal blue again, staying longer than the first time, but it disappeared some time later.

Arius inclined his head. "An intriguing notion."

"Well, most of the Legendaries _are_ part Dragon, aren't they?" Khrista responded. Another thought came to her mind, and she added. "Besides, Legendaries used to be as hard to find as dragons, and monarchies are getting to be that rare now, too."

"Monarchy was once how Dragon clans were led," Arius recalled. "Each species of Dragon-Type was led by a Shiny form, which wasn't as rare as it is today. Every generation of new Pokemon released a Shiny form into the world. In the Dragon Clans, it was concentrated into a single bloodline, claimed to have been descended from the Legendaries directly."

Khrista blinked, considering the Dragonair's statement. "Really? I guess I could see that -- how rare colors could be passed from parent to child. The same goes for certain moves, too."

"Indeed. Extremespeed was originally thought to be learned by the royal sons who had normal coloring."

"Like my Dragonair," Khrista realized. "He knew Extremespeed when he was given to me by the Head Elder of BlackThorn."

Arius nodded. "Yes. My family contains some of the royal blood within our veins. However, the term 'king' has long since been discarded from everyday interactions."

Khrista grinned. "Yeah. Especially considering how rare the odd colorings are nowadays."

"You are a rare occurrence, as well," Arius pointed out. "Many legends have foretold of creatures who were capable of switching between human form and Pokemon form. Your powers are the closest we are ever going to get in this time period."

Khrista smiled. "I'm as rare as the Shiny Dragon-Types," she murmured. Her shirt continued to flicker, only now it was remaining royal blue for longer intervals. "I think I've figured it out, Arius." The shirt stopped flickering, remaining fully royal blue.

Arius smiled. "Looks like you've got it," he remarked. "Now, you said you wanted to learn Twister?"

Khrista nodded. "I don't exactly feel comfortable with Dragonbreath because Pokemon use it by breathing the attack out."

"I believe it is the only way to use Dragonbreath," Arius responded. "Twister, however, is a move that can be generated by the flapping of wings or the summoning of winds."

"Summoning winds?"

"Correct. This is easy for a Dragonair like me, because we are capable of messing with the weather around us if we so choose. The trick with you is to work out your own way of using the move." Arius turned his head and nodded to a figure, and a Pidgeot approached. "Paula is going to use her wings to create a wind, and I want you to harness it. Find a connection with that power and use it to your advantage."

Khrista nodded, understanding where Arius was going. "Right. Whenever you're ready, Paula!"

Paula nodded. "Here goes!" She started to flap her wings vigorously, forcing Khrista to raise a hand to block the wind from her face, her hair flying out behind her.

"Remember to take control of the wind!" Arius called out. "Shape it into a Twister!"

"How?" Khrista shouted back.

"Not to sound too much like an Areodactyl, but you have to become one with the wind!"

Khrista frowned. "One with the wind?" she muttered. "How's that going to work?" She started to lower her hand, forcing the teen to shut her eyes to protect them from the wind. She stood there, hands at her sides, feeling the wind blast around her and through her hair.

After standing there for a time, Khrista began to get an inkling of what Arius had meant. She could feel the power in the air rubbing against her arms and face. Instinctively, she started to gather the wind together into an area in front of her, using some sort of power source in her chest. The wind kept exiting in bursts of energy, but Khrista managed to keep it in one place. She then began to spin the "wind power" in one direction, opening her eyes in order to see what exactly she was doing. Surprisingly, the wind obeyed her fingers' touch, as it became the mini-tornado the move Twister was.

Arius nodded in approval. "Good, good. Now, let's see if what you created has any actual Dragon-Type powers." He stuck his tail-tip into the twister, only pulling it out when a small rock from the cave floor smacked it.

Khrista held her breath as Arius inspected the three spheres on his tail. The Dragonair noticed this, and smiled in spite of himself.

"I have strong defenses," he told his Trainer. "You can relax." After staring at his tail for a moment longer, he lowered it and looked at Khrista. "There's some Dragon power in there, but most of what you used to create the Twister is Flying power." He blew out the Twister, and the wind dispersed.

"Well, Paula was supplying the wind for me, so the Flying powers could have come from here," Khrista pointed out.

"Perhaps, but I find it doubtful. A wind is a wind, no matter where it comes from."

_"The Dragonair speaks the truth."_

Khrista's head turned, and she caught sight of the rainbow-colored Legendary bird from Jhoto entering the cavern followed by an Entei with a blue mask. The mere size of the Fire/Flying-Type astonished the teen, since she had never seen the Pokemon in person. Had she not managed to catch the Pokemon in SoulSilver, Khrista would have been greatly intimidated.

"Pyrus," Arius identified, nodding to the Entei. "What brings you here?"

 _"We came to discuss a few things with the Professors,"_ Pyrus explained gruffly.

Khrista, upon hearing his voice, mentally noted that Pyrus sounded a lot like Wolverine.

"I think they're still in the Underground," Khrista remarked. "They've been discussing their plan concerning taking out you-know-who."

Ho-Oh nodded. _"We thought as much; that is the reason we came here."_

"It is?" Arius asked, curious.

Khrista frowned and cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

 _"We have our own plans for assisting you in destroying Cyrus' hold on this world,"_ Ho-Oh explained.

 _"Exactly,"_ Pyrus confirmed. _"We have been filling the thunderclouds above us with energy, and they're just about ready to burst. If we time it right, we can unleash our own fury on the tower, thereby weakening it and opening more of a chance of destroying Cyrus."_

 _"That'll turn our three-way attack into a four-way,"_ Ray realized. When Khrista gained a confused expression, though, the Legendary didn't elaborate on his statement.

Ho-Oh looked like he was about to say something else, but then he paused and looked up at the cave ceiling. _"I sense a great amount of energy, as though someone was trying to energize every single Pokemon and Trainer in this mountain."_ He looked back at the rest of the group in the cavern. _"I believe this is Victini's work."_

"He always said that he didn't have enough things to do to keep him busy," Paula recalled. "I guess with this thing that's coming up, he's in charge of morale. It's hard to be unhappy about it at this point -- he's releasing so much energy that we're practically jumping all over the place."

Khrista smirked. "I actually haven't run into him yet, but I have to admit -- I do feel a little more energized than normal."

"That's Victini's work," Arius confirmed. Turning to look at Pyrus and Ho-Oh, he explained, "Khrista is basically a Legendary Pokemon, thanks to Azelf's meddling. We're trying to teach her the various Dragon moves before she goes back to the Tower. I apologize if we kept you."

 _"No need,"_ Ho-Oh responded. _"I now know the time for attack is near; the specific date is another thing entirely."_ He looked down at Pyrus. _"Come; I sense a Trainer nearby who might tell us of what will occur."_ With that, the two left the cavern.

Khrista looked over at Ray. "Do they live in the area?"

 _"Most of the Elite Trainers knew that Ho-Oh, Lugia, and the pairs of Entei, Suicune, and Raikou live in those mountains near the PokeBall Graveyard,"_ Ray explained. _"They've been keeping what remains of the weather going until the time that their elemental storm could be unleashed."_

"If they're getting ready to unleash that thing, we'd better get back to training you," Arius remarked. "Let's try that Twister again...."


	32. Joshua's Revelations

"It's going to happen soon," Joshua muttered to himself. Or, at least, it _looked_ like he was alone if no one looked at the red and white object that lay cupped in his hands...or the two creatures that was sitting in the shadows of a corner

"How soon?" one of the shadowy Pokemon asked, curious. The Pokemon sounded male.

"She's coming back within a few days' time, and that action will set everything in motion," Joshua answered. "It won't be long before we can go all out."

The other Pokemon grinned, rubbing its paws together. "I hope those visions of yours are right. I know of a few Pokemon who'd be more than happy to join in." She cackled at the thought.

"I figured you would. We'll have to find them after Khrista arrived, however. I want you two to be her guides."

"Her guides?" repeated the male Pokemon incredulously. "Do you have any idea what goes on out there? If we end up getting spotted, we may as well be dead!"

"I know you've been working on your cloaking ability. Your type and species are well-known for your disguising skills."

The male Pokemon became embarrassed. "Ah, come on! You know I'm out of practice."

"Then going around with the kid's going to get you back in practice," the female Pokemon replied. In the shadows, there was the flash of a Cheshire grin.

"She's practicing her own abilities, as well," Joshua added.

"So you've said," retorted the male Pokemon. "But how are we to be sure?"

"I know because of --"

"The visions. So you've said." The male Pokemon crossed his arms over his chest.

Joshua sighed. "I know because I was...in the area when she discovered them," he stated. "I told you about that already. Z, you're going to have to do this whether you like it or not. If I -- who people know live here -- go out and explore, the plot will be discovered and you and I may as well be dead."

Z nodded. "I get the picture. But do you know when she's going to get here?"

"No. All I know is that she'll be here soon."

The Pokemon became annoyed. "Come on! You've got to have at least some idea. You did get those powers from that machine, didn't you?"

"It doesn't always work, Z," the female Pokemon responded. Her head turned slightly. "You might want to disappear. Charon's been popping in at this time of day more and more recently."

Z let out a snort of annoyance, then transformed into a beam of red light, disappearing into his PokeBall, which Joshua promptly shrank and placed in his pocket. At the same time, the female Pokemon disappeared from the shadows; it looked like a black hole had appeared there for a moment and sucked something inside.

The steel door opened as Joshua was removing his hand from his pocket; he looked down from his perch on his bunk as the short, balding scientist stepped in. Joshua could see Butch watching from the door.

"The answer is still no," Joshua stated calmly.

"I thought as much," Charon remarked, surprisingly calm. "However, you will change your mind -- and soon, might I add." With that, the old man left the room without another word.

Joshua frowned and tried to decipher what the Galactic scientist had said -- and _why_ he had managed to say it so calmly. Something was definitely going on.

_*I don't like that guy. He gives me the chills*_

Joshua scowled. _Blitzen, you're a figment of my imagination, and I know that man isn't going to do anything to me._

 _*That's what you think. When he starts poking needles and tearing you apart in order to find out what makes you different from everybody else. He might find_ me _. You never know with mad scientists*_

Joshua shook his head. _You're just paranoid._

_*Maybe. Maybe I'm not*_

As Blitzen went silent, Joshua couldn't help but ponder the other's words. Obviously, he was terrified by the idea -- and Joshua was, too, but not so much that he'd purposely see it in every action Charon made.

Hopefully, the scientist had something else in mind.

 


	33. Dragon Training part 2

"Hah!" Khrista barked, throwing a sphere of glowing, blue and purple energy at a blue and black dog standing on two legs. The Lucario promptly jumped to one side, avoiding the attack and letting it hit a nearby boulder.

"There you go again," the Pokemon stated. "You've got to remember that you're not using Aura Sphere. Keep holding onto the energy beyond what an orb could handle, then release it as a beam."

The teen nodded. "I know, Caleb, I know. It's a reflex, I guess. I'm just a little nervous -- I don't want this to explode in my face."

"Don't worry about that," Caleb responded. "The only moves that harm the user are Take Down, Double Edge, Brave Bird, and those other moves that cause a recoil of some sort."

"This could probably turn into a recoil move if I'm not too careful," Khrista remarked.

"I doubt it. This is a regular Dragon Pulse we're talking about, remember?" Caleb smirked. "Get back into the stance and try again."

Khrista released a sigh, then got back into a Lucario-like stance, her hands glowing bright purple as energy began to gather in the space between them. The teen's eyes narrowed in concentration as a purple sphere appeared and grew quickly. When it had reached the size of an Aura Sphere, the growth rate slowed, and Khrista's hands began to move to a new location: right in front of her chest, still holding the purple sphere on either side. After a moment, the sphere increased in size suddenly, then shrank as all the energy shot out at Caleb as a concentrated beam of Dragon power.

"There we go!" Caleb encouraged, moving quickly to dodge the Dragon Pulse. "It looks like you've got it."

Khrista grinned as her body relaxed, the attack slamming into a nearby wall and leaving a large dent in the rock. "It'll take a little bit more before I manage to master the move completely, though."

 _"I don't know about that,"_  Rosa remarked from her position behind Khrista.  _"You mastered the other Dragon moves rather quickly after getting Twister down."_

"Dragon Tail's never going to work, though," Khrista remarked, recalling the disappointed looks that had appeared on Hax's and Dreadfyl's faces.

Ray chuckled.  _"Like it ever would for you. With the stance you have on power and abilities, I doubt you even need it."_

The teen nodded in agreement. "Yeah; I've got a large amount of other moves I can use instead -- like Aura Sphere, or Whirlwind."

Caleb nodded. Looking at Rosa, he stated, "I must be going. Karen is expecting my return."

Rosa smiled slyly.  _"Go, then, you mustn't keep her waiting."_

Caleb smirked, gave a quick bow, then dashed out of the cavern using Extremespeed.

Khrista let out a sigh and looked around the cavern, which was now empty except for her, Rosa, and Rayquaza. "Well, that's almost it. Looks like I've got only two Dragon moves left."

Ray frowned.  _"Two?"_  He then realized what his Trainer was referring to.  _"Oh, no. You are not going to learn Outrage."_

Khrista eyed the Dragon-Type. "And why not?"

 _"I don't know if you're ready for it,"_  the Hoenn legendary responded.  _"You remember the last time I used it, don't you?"_

The brown-haired teen's blue eyes widened at the memory.

Ray nodded.  _"Exactly. And that's why I won't be teaching you Outrage. Draco Meteor, however, is another matter. Are you prepared to begin your training?"_

Rosa looked startled.  _"Now? Are you serious, Ray? The day cycle is almost completed for today!"_

Ray snorted.  _"Of course I'm serious! However, that doesn't mean we'll start working on the move right away."_  He looked over at Khrista.  _"Tonight, you are going to sleep with me and my brethren."_

Khrista cocked her head to one side, frowning as she did so. "With you guys? Why not with the other humans?"

 _"In order for this to work properly, we have to fully reinstate the bond we have as Trainer and Pokemon,"_  Ray explained.  _"So, you're going to sleep near me, rather than with Swamp and the others."_

"All right, then," Khrista stated readily. "Rosa, do you the you could let the others know?"

Rosa nodded.  _"I'll be there and back before you know it!"_  She zoomed out of the cavern, a blast of wind following at the exact same speed.

Khrista grinned. "I can't wait to go for a ride on her," she remarked. "Or you, either. Shoot, the games never let you ride a Flying Pokemon properly."

Ray looked surprised.  _"They didn't allow you the experience of our speed?"_

"Well, they did have a Ranger game that involved flight, but that was the only one. And it didn't let me ride you, either -- it was just Staraptor and Latias, who I'm pretty certain wasn't flying at full speed." Khrista crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. "And those experiences probably didn't come even close to what you guys can actually do."

Ray smirked.  _"I could give you some of that experience right now, if you want."_

Khrista's eyes sparked. "Really? You'd let me on?"

_"Why not? You're going to have to get used to it."_

Khrista frowned momentarily, then realized where Ray was going with this. It hadn't occurred to her before, but Cyrus' transport thingy -- whatever it may have been -- had most likely been destroyed after she had come through, meaning that she probably wouldn't be able to go home after all this was said and done.

Khrista nodded after swallowing this knowledge. "Yeah; you're right. So, how're you going to let me on? Do I have to fly up there?"

Ray shook his head, then lowered it down to the ground.  _"Climb on."_

Khrista smiled and, after some scrambling and searching for footholds and handholds (which was easy thanks to the Hoenn Legendary's scaly body), Khrista managed to situate herself on Ray head.

"Whenever you're ready!" she called out.

Rayquaza lifted his head slowly, so as to not throw off his Trainer. When he had reached his natural height, the Dragon Pokemon began to move forward. In this manner, they reached the central cavern of Mt. Coronet, where a large mass of Pokemon and Trainers were starting to group together.

From her perch above the crowd, Khrista quickly scanned the crowd, looking for anyone that might have been familiar. Ray didn't take note of this, and instead floated over to a section of the crowd that consisted of three other Rayquaza, each of them colored in a unique combination of colors that weren't seen in the games: the first was a cobalt shade with neon-green markings; the second was a light shade of spring green with white markings, and the third looked like someone had taken a pumpkin and spray-painted some of it black.

Khrista, upon catching sight of the colorings, wasn't sure what to make of them. The only colors she knew a Rayquaza could be were the normal shades of green, yellow, and red, and the more rare coloring, when black replaced the green. To see three Rayquaza with almost random patterns threw her off a little.

 _"Hey, guys,"_  Ray greeted as he joined the group.

The three Rayquaza turned their heads, eyes instantly going for the teen sitting on their fellow Hoenn Dragon's head.

The cobalt-colored Rayquaza was the first to speak.  _"Ray, is that who I think it is?"_

 _"It might be, Corza,"_  Ray replied.  _"Khrista here is going to be with us for a little while longer, so she's going to spend the night here before they send her back."_

" 'They' being the Professors," Khrista added.

Corza -- who Khrista had now remembered was Joshua's Rayquaza -- seemed somewhat surprised.  _"And when did you get here?"_

"A few days ago. Alak and Gangrene were kind enough to supply an escape route, even if Alak was the only one who came down with me."

 _"I see, I had been wondering if those two were up to their old tricks."_  Corza smirked.  _"The last time they were out of my sight, they blew up Team Aqua's hidden stash of Master Balls."_

Khrista's eyebrows arched up in surprise. "Plural? As far as I knew, there was only one Master Ball there."

 _"Oh, he had more than one,"_  the orange Rayquaza stated.  _"Archie and Giovanni had rooms upon rooms of the Master Catcher. You Avatars didn't make a dent when you took one or more each. We blew the rest up when you guys were done collecting."_

Khrista became interested. "Huh. How'd they get so many Master Balls, anyway?"

 _"A few usually escape from the explosions,"_  Corza explained.  _"Then they're found, reverse-engineered, and the whole thing starts all over again."_  He eyed Khrista for a moment, then asked,  _"Have you seen him? My Trainer?"_

Khrista nodded in confirmation. "Gangrene got me to see him, but then she broke down a wall in order to get me away from a bunch of Galactics that were coming in. They almost caught me, but Alak teleported me down here to keep me from Cyrus' clutches."

 _"Is it true, them?"_  the spring green Rayquaza inquired.  _"That you've obtained the abilities of all the Types?"_

Khrista nodded again. "I've managed to master some of them, but there are a few left that I probably won't be able to get to until after." She motioned to her shirt, which was still the royal blue shade. "Right now, I'm working on the Dragon-Type."

The orange Rayquaza smirked.  _"Have you tried Draco Meteor yet?"_

 _"I was going to teach her that tomorrow, Quetzal,"_  Rayqyaza answered.  _"Rosa only just finished working with her on Dragon Pulse."_

The light green Rayquaza looked intrigued.  _"A human with the powers of a Pokemon. Such a thing is...well, as rare as they come."_

"You can thank the Lake Sprits for that one, from what I've heard," Khrista replied. "So, what other Legendaries are hanging out around here?"

 _"Not many,"_  Corza replied.  _"When Cyrus gained control, it was sudden. Instant, even. Many Pokemon in the PC Box System were transported into that building of his, but some managed to escape. Only a small amount of those who managed to get away were Legendaries. Sirius here was among them."_ The cobalt dragon nodded to the spring green Rayquaza, who bowed his head.

Khrista became concerned. "If only a small amount escaped, then the rest are being held in Cyrus' tower, right? We can rescue them?"

 _"We're not sure,"_  Quetzal answered.  _"The Ketchum boy gained a certain...quality from the Red Chain that he used on those they captured."_

 _"He drains them of their spirit,"_  Sirus explained grimly.

Khrista paled. "Oh, no."

She recalled what had taken place not long after she had arrived -- the confrontation with "Dark Giratina," and what had happened to him.

"They can be saved, though," the brown-haired teen stated. "Ray rescued Giratina not long after I came here. He was Confused after an Outrage attack, but he managed to knock him out. In fact, I think I saw some sort of red dust fly off the Legendary and disperse."

The Dragons looked at each other.

 _"Red dust?"_ Ray repeated.  _"As in, Red Chain dust?"_

"I think so. Giratina returned to normal and fled instantly, so I couldn't really get a good look."

Corza cocked his head slightly.  _"Hmmm...interesting. Does anyone else know about this?"_

"The Pokemon that were there -- my team, and Mewtwo, and Mew -- I mean, Chaos and Aurora. The Lake Spirits probably remember it, too." Khrista let out a yawn, no doubt tired from the day's events.

Quetzal, upon taking note of the yawn, stated,  _"Before we send you off to rest, I wish to know something."_

Khrista's gaze moved to the Halloween-themed Hoenn Legendary. "What is it?"

_"I've been getting the feeling that my Trainer is here, but...changed, somehow. Have you seen the girl who calls herself Mist?"_

Khrista blinked in surprise at the question, then shook her head. "I've heard  _of_  her and have spoken with her, but I haven't actually seen her face to face. So I don't know if your Trainer has changed in any way or not." She frowned slightly. "Joshua said that Mist was her code name. How come you guys know her by it down here?"

 _"It was always what she called herself,"_  Quetzal replied.  _"Is that not her real name?"_

"I don't think so."

 _"Joshua feels different, as well,"_  Corza spoke up.  _"Have you seen him?"_

"Yeah...but it didn't look like he had changed or anything...."

_"Hmmm...."_

Khrista let out another yawn while Corza gained what looked like a "lost in thought" expression. The action was not lost on the other two, however, and Sirius motioned for Ray to lower his head.

A moment later, Ray was lowering his head towards the cave floor.

As Khrista slid off Ray's head, she was surprised to find herself standing in a large nest of some sort.

 _"Our sleeping place,"_  Ray explained.  _"There should be more than enough room for all four of us."_

"Oh." Khrista blinked. "OK, then." She gave a tired smile up to her Dragon/Flying-Type, who then started to lie down himself, curling around his Trainer. When Ray had curled up like a snake, leaving a circle open to the cave ceiling, Khrista moved to curl up herself across he circle from Ray's head.

Khrista let out a sigh of contentment when she found that Ray was so  _warm_. She could feel the Dragon energy radiating off him, and in her present state, it felt  _so good_.

 _I can't wait to experience this outside as an actual Trainer when all this is over,_  the teen thought as she closed her eyes.


	34. Fiery Dreamscape

Khrista let out a loud yell of surprise upon finding herself standing in the caves of what looked like an active volcano, if the pool of lava was any proof of that. "Where is this?!"

As she looked around, she caught sight of something at the opposite end of the magma-filled cavern. Doing her best to ignore the heat, Khrista dashed to the edge of the rock she was standing on in order to try and get a better look around. However, she couldn't get very far because it felt like her skin was being burned just by standing there.

Wait....

Khrista frowned. "Duh," she muttered, the yellow Master Ball on her shirt disappearing and the red color brightening. The heat the lava was instantly lowered considerably, allowing Khrista to run on the molten rock and make her way through the cavern, not at all bothered by the shimmering illusions brought on by the temperatures. It didn't take all that long before Knrista could see clearly what was going on.

At the opposite end of the cavern, two figures stood: a Heatran and a Cresselia, both of whom seemed to be discussing something.

 _"You can't go!"_ Cresselia exclaimed, exasperated by something. _"Who knows what they'll do to you?"_

 _"If this madness is ever going to stop, I have to,"_ Heatran responded. This was obviously a male, no doubt greatly experienced in the ways of volcanoes. _"No one else has stepped forward, and I am more than happy to. I have the advantage."_

 _"And the other one?"_ Cresselia demanded. _"What about him? He'll clobber you the moment you get close!"_

Heatran remained silent for a moment. _"I do have friends who agree with me,"_ he finally stated.

Cresselia's eyes widened. _"Heatran, don't! The both of you will die! We can't lose you!"_

Heatran snorted. _"My family can keep you protected without me. This must be done, my love. For everyone's good."_ He turned towards a tunnel located in the wall nearby and stated, _"I will be back soon. Wait for me."_

 _"Always,"_ Cresselia answered.

Khrista, who had been standing on the lava behind a rock jutting out of it, frowned. She had always wondered about inter-breeding between Legendaries, and now, right in front of her eyes, she was seeing something that would get her just about as close as she ever could get short of spying on her own Pokemon when others weren't near. Thoughts began to speed through her mind about Pokemon natures, levels of power and base stats.

Eventually, however, Khrista mentally tossed the whole idea out the window, knowing full well that she wasn't going to get any baby Rayquaza running around anytime soon.

Cresselia's head turned slowly as Khrista had been contemplating all this. _"Who's there?"_ she asked, clearly worried.

Khrista jumped a little, startled that someone had seen her, even though she was in her dreamscape. Cautiously, she peered around the boulder. "Yes?"

The Psychic-Type Legendary jumped a little upon seeing the teen. _"Who are you, and what are you doing here?"_ she asked, nervousness in her voice.

"I'm just someone who dropped by accidentally," Khrista responded.

Cresselia's head cocked to one side -- which looked odd, what with her moon-shaped head. _"You're in the Dream World, aren't you?"_ she asked.

Khrista became surprised, then nodded. "I fell asleep and woke up here, and I'm a little confused as to how that happened."

The Sinnoh Legendary looked intrigued. _"It's rare that a human is capable of doing such things,"_ she noted.

"I'm not completely human," Khrista corrected, "which is probably part of the reason I'm here."

_"Hmmm.... Yes, I think I see what you mean. How long have you been here?"_

"I got here during your discussion with that Heatran," Khrista answered. "What is this place, anyway? Stark Mountain?"

Cresselia nodded in confirmation. _"Heatran has been protecting a large amount of Pokemon here once Cyrus took over. None of us have left since the sky darkened."_

Khrista's eyebrows rose. "So you don't know."

Cresselia frowned. _"Don't know what?"_

"About what we're planning on doing to Cyrus. There are a lot of people -- Trainers and Pokemon -- on the mainland who want Cyrus' head. I happen to be one of them. We're planning on attacking his citadel within a few days to end this."

The Legendary's eyes sparked. _"You must be very ambitious to pull off such a feat."_

"And numerous," Khrista added. "We've got most of Mt. Coronet and a large cave underground to use as out base." She frowned when her vision started to blur, then realized a second later that her vision was starting to go because she was about to wake up.

"Looks like I've gotta go," Khrista told the Cresselia. "I don't want to oversleep."

 _"Right,"_ Cresselia agreed. _"Wait! I didn't catch your name!"_

"It's --"

Khrista was cut off as her vision went dark.


	35. A Vision Comes True

Joshua's eyes snapped open to the sound of pounding on the steel door of his cell.

"Get up, kid!" a voice called. "One of our Commanders wants ta see ya!"

Joshua slid off the upper bunk, not bothering to try and land lightly and hide his footsteps. The grunt, Galactic or otherwise, would have needed to know that he was up.

The steel door opened, revealing a young man in a black-and-white shirt and a bandanna with the Team Aqua insignia wrapped around his blond-haired head. Beside him stood a rather bored-looking Azumaril. Obviously, this was one of the higher-up grunts of one of the environmentalist Hoenn teams.

 _*Oh. Guess you were right about that vision*_ came Blitzen's voice.

"Come on," the Aqua member stated roughly. "Yer comin' with me." Despite the low growl in his voice, there was a sly grin on his face and a twinkle in his blue eyes.

Joshua shrugged, then stepped out of the room, the door slamming with a bang behind him.

"Start walking," the grunt growled, pointing down the hall and at the red and blue warp panels at the end.

Joshua gave him an odd look. "No black box?"

"Why would I need one of those? You can walk."

The hazel-eyed teen smirked. "Charon doesn't seem to think so."

The man allotted himself a small smile in return, then began to walk down the hall, Joshua directly behind him and the Water Rabbit Pokemon bringing up the rear.

"How long has he been using that thing, anyway?" the grunt asked.

"Every time I left my room," Joshua answered calmly, his eyes scanning the hall. This type of information was the kind that the teen could speak of readily, since Charon had been doing it in public.

The Azumaril let out a snort. "Like he needed to. There isn't much to see around here. Everything's the same."

The Aqua grunt glanced back for a moment, then returned his gaze to the hallway, saying nothing to add to his Pokemon's statement.

As Joshua looked around, he noticed that what the Water-Type had said was correct -- the entire hallway was a blank canvas, except for the steel doors, which retained their gray color. It was obvious that Cyrus did not let Smeargle run rampant in his building, causing the teen to wonder if Cyrus' favorite color happened to be white.

The grunt seemed to know what Joshua was thinking, because he said, "I always wondered how Cyrus would react if we painted this entire hallway blue. Just this one."

"Especially the way he is now," the Azumaril added. The sound of a mischievous smile coming into his voice.

Joshua frowned. "The way he is now?" he repeated.

The Aqua member glanced back at him. "There's this rumor going around that...the Boss is having a little problem with dreams," he muttered.

"Everybody's been avoiding him because of his temper," Azumaril added. "We think he's starting to lose it."

Joshua thought back to what Butch had said a few days back. "One of my room's guards mentioned something about that."

"I thought as much," the grunt remarked. "The rumor's in everybody's ears."

"Do you believe it?"

"Nah. I haven't run into him yet. I have been feelin' like there's a change that's coming, though." The grunt stopped and pointed to the blue warp panel. "Get going, kid."

Joshua frowned. "Why?"

"That's where the Commander's waitin' for ya," the Aqua member answered with a grin. He then pushed Joshua onto the warp panel.

A stinging sensation came across Joshua's body as he stumbled onto the warp panel, and a moment later, he stumbled off onto dark gray stone. It felt like his head had turned 360 degrees and had left him feeling dizzy.

"You all right, kid?" the grunt asked, coming through the warp panel with the Azumaril.

"I think I'll be fine," Joshua replied, shaking his head and rubbing his left temple as his vision cleared. "Just give me a minute -- I'm not used to this kind of thing."

There was a chuckle from someone in front of him. "Not someone for warp panels, are you?" The voice was distinctly female.

"Not really," Joshua responded. "I didn't really use it all that much in the games, so that may be why."

After a moment, the dizziness vanished, and Joshua was able to get a better look at where he was.

The room itself was about three times the size of his cell, with about eight bunkbeds in the room -- two sets against each wall. There was a door in between two of the bunk beds marked with a toilet, obviously signifying the restroom. As for the rest of the space, there were two small, round tables set up with a few chairs around each. In the center of the room was a more ornately-carved chair, in which sat Archie, the leader of Team Aqua. Beside him stood a young woman with a shock of red hair and wearing the Aqua uniform -- the Admin Shelly, Archie's right hand.

Shelly's already present grin became wider when she noticed the spark of recognition in Joshua's eyes. "Perfect! We can skip the introductions. I wasn't planning on asking you for your name, anyway."

Archie gave Shelly a look, then shook his head, a small, almost unnoticeable smile appearing on his face for a moment.

"So, you're probably wondering why we pulled you out of your cozy little cell and brought you to ours," the Aqua member continued, ignoring her commander's look. "Archie, if you would?"

Joshua turned his gaze to Archie, who looked tired, and, at the same time, determined.

"We've been watching you and Cyrus for some time now," the Aqua Commander stated. "And we've been thinking about what to do its your...friends."

_*Uh oh. We'd better--*_

_Blitzen, wait._

"You should know that we have decided not to do anything against you," Archie continued, noticing the hazel-eyed teen's slight stiffening.

Joshua frowned. This statement seemed contradictory to anything Cyrus' followers had been told to do: arrest/stop rebels first, ask questions later. "What?"

Archie leaned forward in his chair. "You remind me of a particular kid, one that I haven't been able to get out of my head since our last encounter."

Joshua became intrigued. "Me? Remind you of somebody?"

"You kids don't exactly go by unnoticed, you know," Shelly remarked. "The one that sticks out for both you and that other kid is your attitudes. You and that girl always seemed to be planning something."

 _Well, then she and I are alike in one way,_ Joshua noted. _I'd better take advantage of this._ "Is there a specific reason you had me brought here?"

"The rebellion plan," Azumaril stated from behind Joshua. "We want in."

The teen almost jumped when the Azumaril suddenly spoke. "What?"

"You're not the only one who has ears, boy," Shelly stated.

Joshua remembered what she was referring to, as did Blitzen.

* _The communicators!*_

_This is why I didn't want you to isolate our signal in the first place, you know._

Noticing the constrained look of shock passing over Joshua's face, Shelly made a careless waving motion. "Don't think on it, kid. We're the only ones who use that system, anyway. The Galactics like their cameras."

Joshua relaxed -- but only slightly. "So, how do you want to do this? Can I trust you, even?"

"Kid, if we even listened to Spiky, would I be talking to you?" Archie pointed out.

Joshua nodded. "I see your point. However, I still don't trust you fully."

The grunt who had brought Joshua chuckled. "Look at it this way: we broke loose the day you got here. A couple others said something about a "psychic interference" or something like that. When Spiky started having his sleep problem, out resistance got stronger, too, so we broke away pretty early on. Cyrus would've gotten rid of us except that we're good with Water-Types." He rubbed Azumaril's head between the ears.

"And those from my world aren't?"

"If they're not yelled at," the grunt responded. "If I speak anything short of an angry yell, it's like they're deaf."

"They may as well be, after your screams, Nick," Shelly muttered. She turned her gaze to Joshua. "Here's where you come in. There's a large amount of kids out there you probably recognize."

"If Charon lets me get close," Joshua replied. "You guys are the first real conversationalists I've had for some time." _Since Khrista left and Mist hasn't really talked much recently...._

"And your friend?" Azumaril asked. "The girl who escaped?"

Joshua smirked. "She's with friends of ours elsewhere. She'll be coming back."

Archie and Shelly exchanged glances.

When will she be coming back?" Nick inquired.

Joshua shrugged. "That was something we never discussed."

The Water Pokemon committed a facepalm. "You really should have."

"Your friend has been gone for about three days," Shelly growled. "You'd better be hoping that she's coming back."

"She will," Joshua answered. "I know it."

Archie gave him a curious look, but decided not to delve into the teen's thoughts any further. Instead, he asked, "Now do you trust us?"

Joshua frowned. _They certainly act like their normal selves, but how can I be sure that they actually are telling the truth? I'll have to test them._ "Not quite. I just want to make sure that you're actually free of his powers of persuasion, if you know what I mean."

Archie smirked. "You're getting to be more like that other kid than I thought," he remarked. "All right, then." He motioned to the corners of the room. "Galactics like to hide their cameras in corners. We put sound sensors in your new wall; those Galactics haven't been able to insert the cameras because of the storm stirring up outside."

Joshua's eyebrows went up a little. "And that affects the cameras how?"

"Every fifteen minutes or so, electricity overloads the circuits of the cameras and burns out one or two of them," Shelly explained. "They've been replacing the ones in the hallways with newer cameras, and ignoring than the ones in your cells."

"And the sensors are different because...."

"We've got them running on a private circuit -- one that those bumbling idiots can't mess up by overloading." Shelly gave a Cheshire-Cat grin. "Besides, we've dealt with thunderstorms like this before. Insulating stuff is no problem for us."

"Thus the reason why we confronted you, and not Charon," Nick added.

Joshua became interested at this notion, but he suppressed the urge to ask about the technological enhancements behind the idea. "And your Pokemon?"

"We were allowed to keep only one with us," Archie answered, his face darkening in anger. "Measly, weak Poocheyna." He showed Joshua the PokeBall the Dark-Type was held in.

"They wouldn't let you keep you keep your Mighteyna? Or your Sharpedo?"

"Not even my Carvanha," Shelly stated, miserable. "Cyrus claimed he'd done that to everybody equal, but I think it's because he doesn't want us to overpower him." She snorted. "I think I could overpower him just by wringing that neck of his!"

Joshua smirked. He had been waiting for one of the Aqua members to say Cyrus' name without any trouble, suddenly shutting up or otherwise. Nick's earlier statement had hinted at such a possibility, but Shelly's outburst definitely sealed the deal.

Archie caught sight of the teen's slight smile and smiled, as well. "How do you want to work us into this plan of yours?"

"For now, I want you guys to keep an eye on the other teens. If any of them manage to break away and don't fall back under, keep an eye on them. When -- not if -- the rebellion starts, you'll know." Joshua nodded to Shelly. "When the ruckus starts, I want you to release the Water-Types. _All_ the ones you can get your hands on."

Azumaril grinned hugely. "All right! Now we're talking. My brothers and I will have a grand ol' time demolishing this place from top to bottom!"

"Just make sure that you save parts of it for the other types," Joshua reminded the Pokemon. "You're not the only one who wants this place destroyed."

"Yeah, yeah."

"And your friends?" Archie asked.

"They've got her own agendas."

"I meant the Pokemon."

Joshua grinned sheepishly. "They wants those guys gone as much as the next Pokemon, but for different reasons." He placed his left hand on his left front pocket and fingered the PokeBall. "You wouldn't like it if you'd been separated from your mother by the Galactic goons, for instance."

Nick's eyes went down to Joshua's pocket momentarily, going back to the teen's face afterwards. "And how attached to his mother is this Pokemon?"

"Don't you still love your mother?"

The Aqua grunt frowned. "Well, sure. Who doesn't?"

"This Pokemon was still in his base form when he was separated," Joshua stated. "During the time afterwards, he evolved without her care. He wants to find his mother, and maybe find the guy who separated them in the first place."

"A large amount of Pokemon were separated," Shelly recalled. "Could you be more specific?"

"His name starts with a Z." Joshua glanced at Azumaril, taking note that the Water Rabbit's eyes had widened in recognition.

"If he's with you," the Pokemon stated, "then he's going to get to his tormenter a whole lot faster with that plan." He looked at Nick. "I bet the signal's that kid going loose."

Joshua nodded. "Keep your eyes and ears open," he stated. "I don't suppose you know Maxie's perspective on this?" He turned to look at Archie.

"Dead loyal," Archie replied flatly. "That brother of mine always agreed to disagree with me."

Joshua blinked in surprise, storing that knowledge away for another time. "And his followers?"

"The same."

"And yet there are some Rocket members who seem ready to break out in war cries at any moment," Khrista's cousin murmured. Raising his voice, he stated, "Steer clear of them if you're not doing so already."

Nick smirked. "Done and done, bud. Is that all you've got?"

"For now, yes," Joshua stated, fingering the PokeBall in his pocket.

" 'K, then, I'll take you back, kid. If you need any of us, we'll know."

Joshua knew that was supposed to be a comforting statement, yet he couldn't help but shudder a little at the thought of someone spying on him. He was definitely choosing his words more carefully the next time he wanted to speak.

"Right," the teen stated. "Better not let Charon get any ideas about where I am right now." He and Nick then left through the warp panel.


	36. A Plan is Set in Motion

"Ray, does Cresselia have any sisters?"

 _"Of course she does,"_ Ray responded as the two of them arrived in Khrista's training cavern. _"Corza and the others are my siblings, remember?"_

Khrista nodded, recalling meeting the three Rayquaza the night before. "Do you know how many sisters she has?"

Ray frowned as he floated in the center of the cavern, which was empty except for the two of them. _"I believe there are a total of six in the Cresselia family, but they're always adding more from somewhere. There are probably other 'families' of my species, too, but I've never run into them myself."_

"I guess that makes sense," Khrista remarked. "Back at home, someone had a whole team of Rayquaza." She smirked. "So, how are we going to tackle this?"

_"First, just to be certain, your Dragon-Type must be active."_

Khrista looked down at her shirt, which had reverted to royal blue as soon as she had woken up from her contact with Cresselia. "Yup." She looked back up at Ray. "So, how are we going to go about this?"

 _"First, I want you to clear your head of any thoughts of anything else that might be going on at the moment. Nothing about Cresselia or teams of Rayquaza, except what I'm going to teach you."_ Ray waggled a claw. _"I don't want any distractions."_

Khrista frowned, closing her eyes as she concentrated, storing away thoughts of what Joshua might be doing or what why she was capable of conversing with Pokemon in her dreamscape. She then focused on the animation sequences the games had shown of the Ultimate Dragon move, causing gamers to look on in awe and horror as the move crashed into its target.

Rayquaza took note of the smile that appeared on Khrista's face and nodded in approval. _"Good, good. Now, begin to gather your dragon power within your chest. Don't rely on your eyes to know it's working -- feel it in your heart. In the very fibers of your being."_

Khrista nodded absently, then lifted her arms to her chest and held them there almost like she were holding a sphere. At first, she felt no change concerning power, but after about half a minute of doing almost nothing but imagining that her Dragon power was climbing in her chests she felt something -- whether it was what Ray wanted it not, she couldn't quite tell. She could sense that there was some sort of pressure that was increasing to the point of bursting her chest open, however.

_"Release it now! Force it upward!"_

Khrista's arms straightened out above her head, palms facing upward. The teen could feel the power moving from her chest to her arms, then shooting up out of her body.

As the power left Khrista, her curiosity got the better of her, and she looked up so that she could see what she was doing.

The bright orange ball of energy above her instantly exploded like a firework, raining down on the ground around Khrista in a protective sphere-like shape.

Ray frowned. _"I haven't seen anything like that for some time,"_ he noted. _"The last Pokemon who used an attack like that was Jirachi."_

"Because he isn't a Dragon-Type?" Khrista guessed.

_"Yes, but also because he's a Legendary. All Legendaries can learn the Ultimate Dragon move -- most just choose not to. If we're going to have you learn the true Dragon-Type variation, we're going to need more time."_

"Time we don't have," the teen responded. "They're expecting me to go back tomorrow -- tonight, even." Khrista let out a sigh. "It seems as though we're going to have to cut this lesson short. And I was really looking forward to spending more time with you, too."

Ray lowered his head to look Khrista in the eye with one of his own. _"You will, when all of this is over and done with. Trust me, everything we have taught you only scratches the surface. It would take a few months to train you properly, and that would be with Aurora's help."_ The Dragon/Flying-Type looked Khrista over. _"In fact, you seem to be exhibiting the abilities of a Mew."_

Khrista frowned. "Me? A Mew? I find that rather hard to believe."

_"It would make the most sense. You have access to every Type, and you can access every -- well, almost every -- move in existence. When this whole thing blows over, she's going to be integral in your training."_

Khrista's eyes widened. "Yeah, you're right about that. It's pretty weird how that turned out." Her eyes went over to the scorch mark on the cave wall from her practice with Psycho Cut. "Then again, it does make sense -- Elaine told me sometime ago that she wasn't able to do as much with her abilities as I can with mine."

"There you are!"

Khrista and Ray turned to look at the cavern's entrance, where a familiar teenager Champion stood with a Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Hey, Red," Khrista greeted as the Kanto Trainer approached. Despite all appearances, she was as jittery and excited as a Jigglypuff getting a new microphone at seeing the Trainer again. "What's up?"

"The Professors want you to start packing ASAP," Pika explained. "They're suggesting so much communication gear that you might as well be a Metagross."

Khrista, quickly remembering something, removed a small device from her left ear. "Well, Joshua made this to allow us to communicate while we were in the tower, but I doubt that it'll work properly down here." She handed the device to Red, who looked it over for a moment before giving it back.

"You should let Green have a look at that," the Champion remarked. "She could probably do something in order to upgrade it. As for what else you can bring along...." Catching sight of the look on Ray's face, Red stated, "Sorry, big guy, but Birch specifically said that she couldn't bring you along."

 _"Why not?"_ Ray asked, frowning and going back to his full height.

"Too big. Even if she did have your Master Ball, she wouldn't be able to let you out."

_"Hmmmph. But she can take a Pokemon with her."_

"So long as they behave," Pika amended. "They recommended you take some food along with, too."

Khrista nodded. "Okay. Let's see...definitely wouldn't be a good idea to go with a Legendary -- the Professors are probably planning on using them for a frontal assault on the outer defenses." She looked at Red, who nodded in confirmation. "That means I have a choice from whatever Pokemon I've trained that aren't as big as a house." She looked at Ray. "What do you think?"

The Hoenn Legendary blinked in surprise at the sudden question. _"Why not take Linoone and Raichu?"_ he finally suggested. _"They've been begging for action lately."_

Khrista frowned. "You think I can take them?"

"Please, _do,"_ Pika replied. "That Raichu has been causing too much trouble for her own good."

"And Professor Birch needs a break from your Linoone, as much as they spend time with each other," Red added.

The group made its way to another large cavern, where a large group of Trainers were working with their Pokemon in one-on-one skirmishes against each other. About a quarter of the Pokemon present had no Trainers with them, instead working on their abilities in pairs without human interaction.

Khrista's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for one of her Pokemon so that she could ask the whereabouts of Linoone and Raichu, who didn't seem to be present. Eventually, she caught sight of Swamp, who was working with a Youngster Trainer from Hoenn and a Mudkip.

"What are you guys working on?" Khrista asked as she approached the three.

"Muddy wanted some advice on moves," the Youngster explained.

"I really want to learn Mud Shot," the Mudkip explained.

"Well, Mud Shot is a move that a Marshtomp can learn, not a Mudkip," Khrista noted. "What moves do you know now?"

"Bide, Water Gun, Tackle, and Mud-Slap," Muddy listed. "I'm Level 16, now."

Khrista's gaze went to the Trainer, who had a confused look on his face. "Your Mudkip wants to evolve. Why haven't you let him?"

The Youngster seemed surprised, but then shook his head. "Muddy is my sister's, and she's insisted that he doesn't evolve unless she's nearby."

"And this girl's name is?" Swamp inquired.

"Maddie," Muddy stated. "I don't see what the problem is with her wanting to watch me evolve, though. She's watched it plenty of times before."

Khrista looked over at Swamp and realized the connection. "You and your sister came from my world, didn't you?"

"Your world?" the Youngster repeated, startled. "You mean, you're not from around here?"

Khrista shook her head. "I may as well be now, though. What's your name, kid?"

"James. I'm a Kanto and Jhoto Champion." The Youngster Trainer seemed proud of this achievement.

"Maddie's a Hoenn Trainer, but she's really more of a Coordinator," Muddy added.

"Uh-huh. How old is Maddie?" Khrista gave Swamp a glance that clearly said that she wanted to talk to him later.

"She's 11," James explained. "And she also got turned into a Torchic when we came over."

"There you guys are!"

The groups' head's turned as the aforementioned Torchic ran up to them. "I've been looking all over for you two! The Luminous Spring has been open for about an hour! If we hurry, we might be able to make it before it closes again!"

Muddy let out a whoop. "What are we waiting for, then? Let's go!" He promptly dashed off, Maddie right behind him.

James let out a sigh. "Those two had better make sure they've dropped their lucky Everstones before doing that evolving thing."

Khrista gave him an odd look. "You sound older than you look," she noted.

James shrugged. "My Avatar in the games look like this, so I guess it affected my real appearance, too." He frowned. "Who are you, anyway?"

"The name's Khrista," Khrista responded coolly. "I'm a Champ in most of the regions. Do you happen to specialize in any specific Pokemon Types?"

"I like the Electric-Types, but the Dragons are pretty cool, too." James sent a look at Swamp. "I can't understand a lot of their language yet, but from what it sounds like, that Swampert's yours, isn't he?"

Swamp nodded in confirmation as Khrista clarified, "Swamp was my first Pokemon, and he's among my strongest. Ray's right up there with him, too."

Pika cleared his throat. "Khrista, we've got to find your Linoone and Raichu, remember?"

Khrista jumped at the sound of the Pikachu's voice. "Right. Sorry about that -- I got a little sidetracked."

"You're looking for the trouble twins?" Swamp asked.

Khrista nodded. "I figured he might be of some help when I'm sent back up."

Swamp gave a nod. "Linoone has been staying at Birch's side ever since we got down here, and Raichu has been with Sparkler, Mist's Electric Mouse. It may be a bit...difficult, in order to get them to where you need to go."

Khrista let out a sigh of annoyance. "Great."

James frowned, then his eyes widened. "You're that Trainer who escaped from the Tower, aren't you?" Upon receiving a nod in return from the teen, the Youngster grinned. "Maybe you should arrange a bribe with your Pokemon or something -- a compromise."

Pika smirked. "That could work, depending on the Trainer."

Khrista exchanged glances with Swamp, who seemed to know exactly what the teen was thinking.

"I think I know what I'm going to have to do in order to get those two to follow me us there," Khrista remarked, nodding. "I could probably ask around if anyone doesn't want to come along."

"And you're not asking me to come because...."

"I'm getting the feeling that you're going to be more useful down here than up there," Khrista replied, nodding to Swamp. "And, if they don't come, I'll probably end up bringing you along."

The Swampert inclined his head. "Very well."

"It's all for a good cause," Red stated, smirking. His eyes went over to James, who seemed to have noticed who was there with Knrista. "Have you tried to make it up Mt. Silver yet?"

"I was about to battle whoever was up there when Maddie and I were taken," James responded, blinking rapidly.

Khrista smirked. "James, meet Red, the official Kanto Champion, and the kid you found at the top of Mt. Silver."

James' eyes widened. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"She isn't," Red replied. "If you want to fight me, though, you'll have to wait until after we've beaten the pulp out of Cyrus."

James nodded, a grin appearing on his face. "In that case, I'd better go train. Good luck finding that Electric-Type!"

With that, the Trainer took off into the crowd, searching for someone to battle.

Khrista looked over at Swamp. "Do you want to come along and look for them?"

Swamp shook his head."I should be helping Misty and the other Water Trainers, but Muddy pulled me to one side because of his evolution problem. Raichu and Linoone should be both very easy to find."

Khrista nodded. "All right, then." She grinned at Red. "Race ya to the Underground!"

"Oh, you're on," Red answered, a grin on his face, the two took off for the tunnels instantly, leaving Rayquaza and Swamp behind.


	37. A Temporary Moment of Sanity

Cyrus let out an impromptu yawn as the screen in front of him flickered on and a mustachioed face appeared on it.

 _::_ _Sleeping trouble?::_ asked the figure on the screen, causing Cyrus to jump a little.

"You have no idea," Cyrus replied dryly. "Something's come up."

_::It doesn't involve that brat, does it?::_

"No -- the Red Chain is still operational. It's something else." Cyrus frowned slightly as he looked at the other figure. "You don't look so well yourself."

_::I have my own headaches to worry about. What of our project?::_

"It was destroyed during its last run. Some Pokemon's meddling, apparently."

The figure on the screen frowned. :: _Hmmm. And the child who went through?::_

Cyrus let out an annoyed sigh. "She managed to escape with a Ghost Pokemon. The only other person who might know of her whereabouts hasn't revealed anything, but we have him under guard at all times."

_::That isn't going to help. If this boy is anything like my rat infestation, he won't say anything unless he thinks he isn't being watched::_

"The child is more perceptive than we ever could have realized, Ivan. He found all of the cameras in his cell and fed them a loop of constant wailing. And that was _before_ they were shorted out.

Ivan seemed surprised at this. _::How old is this boy?::_

"Mid-teens is my guess."

 _::The next chance you get, send him my way. I could use a child with knowledge like that::_ Ivan stroked his mustache. _::Yes. I need some new ideas for combating that rodent::_

The screen promptly winked out, leaving Cyrus alone in the dark. At least, one would _think_ he was alone.

 _"That man will never truly be your friend, Cyrus,"_ a sinister voice whispered. _"He will betray you the first chance he gets, which may as well be soon, considering how much rest you are actually getting."_

Cyrus let out an involuntary shudder, something he hadn't done since he was a boy.

"Not unless I betray him first," he muttered.

_"There are many rumors surrounding this 'Ivan,' little fool. While he may be from another world, there are some Pokemon who have said he's been in that war of his for over ten years. You haven't been ruling this world for very long, and you got it the easy way. What does that tell you?"_

Cyrus got up from his seat and stepped onto the warp panel, reappearing in his office as he did his best to ignore the voice.

 _"I am not to be gotten rid of as nothing more than a bad dream, Cyrus,"_ the voice hissed.

"Then when will you leave me in peace?" the Galactic leader responded, his eyes scanning the room for the voice's source.

 _"When you give up your plans and this silly charade. There was never a chance of your succeeding in the first place -- surely your interaction with_ her _on Mt. Coronet showed that."_

Cyrus flinched at the mentioning of the mysterious Trainer Darkrai was referring to. "Keep her out of this. That girl is nothing to me."

_"Perhaps not now, but there are others who would be more than willing to take her place as your adversary."_

Cyrus' eyes moved to the filing cabinets, and he leapt at them as a shadow disappeared behind them. He threw the drawers all over the room, making a large mess as papers scattered. The shadow continued to move around, and Cyrus continued to chase it, making even more of a mess as he was trying to capture the figure, by the time the chador had disappeared, the office looked like a Pokemon had set off a Whirlwind and thrown a Razor Wind in as a bonus.

The voice chuckled sinister lay. _"You won't find Cresselia that way."_

"Then where?!" Cyrus demanded.

_"Not here. Perhaps sleep will help you."_

Something hit Cyrus in the back of the head, and he instantly collapsed, falling into the clutches of another nightmare.


	38. A Matter of PokeBalls

"You want me to go in there with you and cause havoc?"

Khrista nodded, a smile on her face. "Do you want to?"

Raichu was surprised by this question. "Want to? Does a Pidgeot fly? This sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime!" She looked at Sparkler. "What do you think?"

The other Electric Mouse frowned for a moment, a Sitrus Berry in one paw. "I've got one condition to add to that plan of yours," he finally stated.

"And what's that?" Khrista inquired.

"Take me with you."

The blue-eyed teen blinked in surprise. "Take you with me? But you belong with a different Trainer!"

"If I come with you, then I can join up with her," Sparkler replied patiently. "You said Mist is up there, so I'm going."

Khrista let out a sigh as her eyes scanned the Square, where Trainers and Pokemon alike were eating lunch. "I don't know, guys. I was planning on only bringing along two Pokemon, not three."

"Well, those are the terms," Sparkler responded boldly. "You can take it or leave it."

Pika, who happened to be sitting nearby, called out, "Take it, Khrista. This is a perfect opportunity for you to bond with them."

"Well, sure, but I don't have the PokeBalls for any of them." Khrista looked at Red's Electric-Type. "You wouldn't happen to know where they would be, would you?"

When Pika shook his head in response, Linoone suddenly spoke up, "The Professors have been keeping them under lock and key, just in case anyone might try to steal them."

"Under lock and key where?" Khrista inquired, turning to face the Normal-Type next to Pika.

"Somewhere in their lab. I haven't really bothered to ask them where specifically."

"Now would be a good time, then," the teen noted. "Come on -- we can go ask Professor Birch about it."

Leaving the Pokemon to decide whether or not they were going to follow her, Khrista made her way through the Square over to where the Professors were eating lunch together.

Oak took note of Khrista's approach, and waved in greeting. "Hello there! What seems to be the trouble?"

"It concerns Pokemon transport," Khrista responded. "I've been considering bringing a Pokemon along with me, just to help with any inner chaos and destruction. Another Trainer's Electric-Type wants me to take him along with the two I'm bringing already. Problem is, I have no idea where their PokeBalls are kept, which makes me feel like a bit of a clumsy, forgetful Trainer."

"You're not forgetful," Birch replied, "and I certainly you'd suspect that you're clumsy. We just happen to be a bit overprotective. We've got your PokeBalls in the lab under lock and key." He peered around her and caught sight of the two Raichu and the Linoone who were approaching. A mischievous grin appeared on his face when he saw how close the Electric-Types were. "Do you think those two could--"

"Birch," Oak stated, giving the Hoenn professor a warning look.

Khrista let out a cough, trying to look anywhere but the Electric Mice or Professor Birch. "About those PokeBalls...."

"Oh! Right," Birch got up from the picnic table. "I'll take care of that for you." The group (which now consisted of the three Pokemon, Khrista, and Professor Birch), made their way through the Square and over to the Professor's building.

As they stepped inside, Khrista suddenly bent forward as weight accumulated on her back.

Raichu's head appeared on Khrista's right shoulder, Sparkler's appearing a moment later to the teen's left.

"Sorry," Sparkler said with a sheepish grin. "It's just been so long since we last did this."

Oh, you two," Khrista murmured in mock scolding. "You can act like Pichu sometimes!" She looked over at Professor Birch, who had been looking on in amusement.

"So, where are the PokeBalls?" Khrista asked, shifting her weight slowly from foot to foot in order to get a new sense of balance.

"Right over here," Birch replied, motioning to a door that was steel that had been painted blue. "We have them arranged according to Trainer, and then according to Type and power." The Hoenn Professor removed a ring of keys from a pocket in his lab coat, choosing a small key and placing it in a comically large keyhole in the center of the door. There was a loud clank as the locking mechanism unlocked.

Birch pushed the door open, revealing a large room, which the group was blocked off from by walls of glass. Beyond said glass, there were shelves upon shelves of PokeBalls.

"Just use the computer there to find the PokeBalls you're looking for," Birch explained, nodding to the device on their side of the glass. "They'll be teleported here automatically."

"Thanks," Khrista stated, nodding to the professor as she walked into the room with her load. Upon reaching the computer, the group jumped off, allowing Khrista to have a little more free movement.

"That's a lot of PokeBalls," Raichu noted, her nose to the glass.

"It's also a lot of Trainers," Khrista responded, looking at the computer screen. "I mean, I've got three book shelves, and there's somebody else who managed to lay claim to five of them. Oh, wait -- that's White." She typed "Electric-Types" in the search bar and came up with a list of her own Pokemon. "Let's see...." Quickly, she clicked on one of the names there, then hunted down a name under the Normal-Types. A moment later did the same under Mist, only looking into the Electric-Types.. "They should be coming through in a few minutes."

Off in a far corner of the room, three lights shot up into the ceiling. A moment later, two PokeBalls and a Safari Ball appeared in some sort of dispensing machine right next to the computer.

As Khrista picked up the PokeBalls and examined each in turn, Raichu remarked, "This room looks a lot bigger than the building does outside."

"It could be a hologram of some sort of storage room," Sparkler suggested.

"Or, Palkia made a room that gave more space but takes up less than that," Birch remarked from the doorway. "He did it before Cyrus came back."

"I thought as much," Khrista remarked. She then frowned. "Wait -- he made the room?"

"He set up this whole place with Dialga's help," the Hoenn Professor explained. "They had known something was up, but they couldn't quite place what was about to happen."

"So, they didn't know when he was coming, but they did have an estimation," Khrista guessed.

"I guess you could say that." Birch took note of the three spheres in Khrista's hands. "So, you found what you needed?"

Khrista nodded, a look of slightly repressed excitement on her face. "I kinda want to test them out, but I'm a little nervous. Plus, despite the fact that I'm an experienced Trainer, I...."

"You don't really know how to use one," Birch finished. "Relax. I'll give you a quick lesson right now." He chose one of the PokeBalls Khrista had picked up, motioning for the teen to put the rest elsewhere, which happened to be the pockets Khrista had available to her in her jeans. She held onto one herself, so that she could mimic what the professor was doing.

"First, let's figure out who owns which one of these," Birch remarked. "Just point the PokeBall in their general direction and say 'return.' Like this." The Hoenn professor pointed the SafariBall he held at the Electric-Type and stated, "Return."

As though it was expected, Khrista watched calmly as Sparkler turned into a red bean of light and disappeared into the sphere.

Khrista nodded upon seeing the example, then held out her own sphere and stated, "Return," delighted to find that she had chosen Raichu's PokeBall. Turning to look at Birch, she said, "Okay; now I toss the PokeBall to let her out, right?"

Birch nodded. "Like so." He tossed Sparkler's SafariBall into the air in front of him, and the Electric-Type popped out in a flash of light. Khrista then mimicked the Professor's toss, Raichu coming out in the same manner.

"Keep practicing," the Hoenn professor told her. "I'm going to get something for you to carry those PokeBalls for you." He dashed up the stairs and returned a moment later with a belt that looked like it had been designed to carry PokeBalls, as well as a red backpack.

"Put these on," Birch said in a commanding manner.

Khrista nodded and, after putting down the PokeBalls she had been holding, took the belt and put it on. "Huh. Perfect fit," she noted as she threw the backpack over one shoulder.

"Those had been Sapphire's, before she decided to leave behind the whole idea of PokeBalls and items bought in PokeMarts," Birch explained. "All the other belts I have were made for boys."

"Figures. Boys were the first to really become Trainers," Khrista remarked. She then clipped her PokeBalls to the belt, muttering the order she had chosen. "Raichu, Sparkler, Linoone." After giving a quick nod to the Electric-Types and Normal-Type, Khrista turned to look at Birch. "All right, then. Now, do you know where I can find Green?"


	39. Rocket Report

Joshua was doing one-armed push-ups when Butch looked in to check on what the teen was busy with.

"Is that all you've been doing this past few hours?" the ex-Rocket grunt asked, curious.

"Pretty much," Joshua grunted in reply. "It beats sitting and being bored to death." It also gave him a cover for thinking his plan over, but he wasn't about to tell Butch that.

"Oh. Uh...how many have you done?"

Joshua let out a final grunt as he pushed away from the ground and situated himself in a sitting position on the floor. "150."

Butch couldn't help but wonder if the kid needed something else to keep him busy. "Is this all you do in a day?"

"Beats being a puppet." Joshua got up from the floor. "Any reason why you're interrupting my time alone? Does Charon want me to run a couple laps again?"

Butch shook his head. "Charon doesn't want you to leave your cell at all."

"Then...why bother me?" Joshua moved over to one of the bunkbeds and started to climb into the upper bunk.

"Rumor has it something big's gonna happen."

"What sort of something?" Joshua hoisted himself up onto the bed and sat there Indian-style.

Butch glanced about quickly, peered into the hallway, then quietly stated, "Something about a rebellion."

Joshua kept a straight face, trying to be careful not to give anything away. "A rebellion? I doubt that Cyrus would let that slide."

"He's spent a lot of his time making a mess of his office. I haven't been there, but Cassidy had, she told me it looked like a Pidgeot and a Fearow had been throwing Whirlwinds at each other."

 _Hmmm...the nightmares must be affecting Cyrus' time awake as well as his time asleep,_ Joshua noted. _Darkrai must be trying to break him._

"Maybe he wants his office to get a makeover," the teen suggested.

Butch shook his head. "He would have ordered us to start working on the new design. This is something borderline-crazy."

Joshua gave Butch a bored look. "And why are you telling me this?"

"Because the Pokemon are becoming antsy." Butch shifted his weight, leaning to his left as most of his weight went above his leg as he crossed his arms. "I don't know exactly what they heard, but they've all said that 'the reign is over' or something like that."

Joshua raised an eyebrow at this. "If the Pokemon sense something, then there is either a great miracle or a great disaster on the horizon." Upon seeing the look of surprise on the ex-Rocket grunt's face, the teen stated, "You remember that incident that took place in the Orange islands, right? How the Pokemon congregated as close as they could get because of the whole problem with the Bird Trio?"

Butch nodded slightly. "Yeah. Raticate was acting kinda weird when the Northern Lights showed up that far south."

"They probably know when any sort of change in nature is going to take place," Joshua explained. _I wonder how they're able to tell in a place like this. Is it like my ability?_

"Do you think they know what it is specifically?" Butch inquired.

"...there's a small chance, but I wouldn't count on it."

Butch nodded, then glanced at the door. "Gotta go. The new sentry's probably been waiting for the past five minutes."

Before Joshua could say anything, the ex-Rocket member slipped out of the cell. A moment later, the new "sentry" appeared, and Joshua figured out why Butch had been so quick to leave.

The new guard was a Magma grunt.

 _*Oh, snap*_ Blitzen muttered.


	40. Final Preparations

"I can't really do anything with this," Green remarked, looking over the device Joshua had thrown together.

"Why not?" Khrista asked, frowning.

"Because I would need both of the communicators in order to upgrade one of them." The Kanto Trainer gave the device back to Khrista, who put it back in her left ear. "You're probably going to have to take a communicator from down here with you when you head back up."

Khrista sighed. "Great. I was really hoping to have to carry less. Is there anything that's available that I won't have to carry with my hands?"

Green thought for a moment, then dug into the satchel she was carrying. "This'll probably do," she remarked, handing Khrista an object.

Khrista lifted up the object, revealing that it was a Mew-shaped pendant on a chain. "This is something I can communicate with?"

"It's something I made some time ago," the Kanto Trainer explained. "It lets the user set up a psychic link with whoever has the other necklace." Green pulled an identical necklace from her bag. "I know you're part Pokemon and all that, but I think it would be good if you had something to channel the power."

"I guess it could be of some use," Khrista admitted. "I can't help but wonder, though -- what did you use to make this?"

"I used a couple spoons of destiny that I managed to get away from Red and Yellow," Green explained. "Then, I got Mew to mess around with the silverware's psychic power, and I got them molded."

"You got Aurora to help you?"

The Kanto Trainer nodded. "It wanted to do something like that, anyway -- find out whether or not humans actually have the capabilities of telepathy." She smirked. "Now, are you going to put it on or not?"

Khrista gave the pendant another look, running her fingers along the metalwork. "I don't know if this is even going to work. I mean, I basically have the abilities of Pokemon, and this is meant for humans, not Pokemon." She was about to give it back, only to pause. "You know, Joshua probably could have a use for this."

"That's your cousin, right?" Green guessed.

Khrista nodded. "He's pretty much normal as far as I know."

The Kanto Trainer frowned slightly. "Seeing as you aren't exactly normal, that might not work, either." She snatched the pendant from Khrista's hand and replaced it with a device that looked a lot like what Joshua had built, only a bit more high tech. "This guy is already set to a private channel that I run down here." She tapped her left ear, most likely where her communicator was located. "You're going to have to take out the other one, though. Two in one ear isn't recommended."

"Yeah," Khrista agreed, removing Joshua's invention. "No room in there." She placed the thrown-together device in a jeans pocket, then put Green's device in her left ear. "So, is there anything in particular that I need to do in order to use this?"

"You'll get to listen in on us automatically," Green responded. "If you want to talk to me, just press your ear." She looked Khrista over. "So, do you have everything you need?"

"I'm pretty sure that I do," Khrista responded. "I'm going to have to get a few items, just in case Raichu and the others get hurt for one reason or another. You have any idea as to where I might find stuff like that?"

"I think you'll find what you need in that Guild the Pokemon have been running." Green pointed in the directness of the stone huts. "They're somewhere over there."

"O.K., then. Do you have any idea of what I'm going to be looking for?"

The Kanto Trainer shook her head. "Humans don't really spend too much time there for one reason or another. Most of the Pokemon appreciate the privacy, because they're trying to raise families down here.

"I guess that makes sense," Khrista admitted. "Thanks for the tips, Green."

"No problem," Green responded with a smile. "Now, you'd better get going if your going to get everything you need."

"Right," Khrista agreed. She turned and trotted out of the Square, heading into the rows of stone huts the Pokemon called home.

As Khrista slowed to a walk, she decided to have a look around the huts. The small streets between the stone buildings were empty, but there were no doors on them, allowing a passerby to glance inside. As she passed by, Khrista could see different families of Pokemon gathered around, conversing quietly, the younger Pokemon's eyes wide with anticipation and fear. Other huts were empty, the Pokemon that inhabited them spending time elsewhere.

"Hey, Khrista!"

The teen turned her head in the direction of the voice, catching sight of Eliza and Grace running toward her.

"Hey, guys," the teen greeted.

"What are you doing around here?" Grace inquired.

"I'm trying to get to the Pokemon Exploration Guild, but I'm not exactly sure of where I'm going," Khrista admitted.

"I know where it is," Eliza responded. "The Guildmaster showed me around not long after it was built." She bounded over to an intersection. "It's right over here -- come on!"

Khrista and Grace followed the Espeon around the corner, looking in surprise at the arch that appeared in front of them.

Khrista let out a whistle. "Quite the setup they've got here," she noted.

"It has to be, what with all the Teams we've got up and running," Grace remarked. "Come on -- maybe me of the shops has what you're looking for."

The three walked through the arch and into Treasure Town, Khrista taking in all the sights and smells that came out of some of the market booths. She also took note of the looks she was getting from the Pokemon that were passing by. The teen glanced down at her shirt -- which had changed back to the plain red with the Master Ball graphic -- then realized that it probably wasn't the shirt they were staring at. It was the fact that she was a human, walking through Treasure Town like she was a Pokemon herself.

"Kanga or the Keckleon brothers probably have what you're looking for," Grace remarked, leading Khrista over to a gigantic kangaroo-shaped booth. "Kanga! Are you there?"

A Khangaskhan looked up from behind the counter, a joey in her pouch. "Why, hello, Eliza and Grace. What brings you here?"

"We need a few items for Khrista," Eliza explained, motioning to the human beside her.

Kanga looked surprised. "Items for a human? I'm afraid I don't store those."

"Technically, they're for my Pokemon," Khrista responded. "I'm going to be heading out tomorrow. And I won't have access to any Pokemon Centers of PokeMarts."

"Ah...I see." Kanga let out a sigh. "I probably won't be able to help you in that instance, either. Unless you happen to have a storage space here already -- which I highly doubt since you arrived here in human form."

Khrista frowned, then nodded. "Yeah. I did kind of mess around with this stuff, but I wasn't really all that into it."

"Momma, do you think we could help her from White's store?" the joey piped up, looking up at Kanga. "I don't think she would mind helping her out."

Kanga looked down at the little purple Pokemon. "What makes you think that the co-founder of the Guild would even consider it?"

"But she was always helping everybody, Momma. Big brother always told me that she'd give stuff to Pokemon without even considering how it might have helped _her_ in the long run. I don't think she'd mind."

"She wouldn't."

The trio turned their heads and looked towards the Pikachu head in the center of the area. Standing on the road that led towards said building was a Pikachu wearing a red scarf and a Pokemon Explorer Badge that definitely didn't look like one Khrista had seen before.

"And you are?" Khrista asked, cocking her head out of curiosity.

"My name'a Pika," the Pikachu replied. He must have seen something in the teen's blue eyes, because he held up a paw and stated, "I know, it's a common name among Pikachu, but I'm not about to change it just because of a Trainer's partner." The Electric-Mouse looked up at Khrista with a serious expression. "What is it that you're planning on doing when you have the supplied you need from here?"

"I'm going to be heading up there soon," Khrista replied, pointing upward. "The Professors want me to scout around and get everything ready for when the attack happens -- whenever that is."

"You're the one who was up there before," Kanga noted.

Khrista looked over at the Normal-Type and gave a nod. "Yeah. There are a couple others up there, though." She looked up at the cave ceiling. "And I want to be able to talk to the two of them before I end up doing anything that could get me caught."

"And you came here rather than the humans' PokeMart for supplies because...." Pika prompted.

"Because Eliza and Grace suggested I come here...and I don't exactly know where the PokeMart is," Khrista admitted. She gave a sheepish grin. "And...I don't think I've got any cash at this point."

"You'd be surprised at how much Avatars can have in storage," Pika replied. He nodded to Kanga. "Go ahead and pull out White's. This human is going to need all the help she can get, if she's going back up to the citadel."

Kanga frowned, then gave a nod and turned around. As she started to shift through the yellow boxes piled up at the back of the booth, she asked, "What is it that you think you're going to need?"

"Um...." Khrista frowned as she tried to think through what she remembered of the Exploration/Rescue Team games. "Considering that Linoone and Raichu are at their highest level...and maybe Sparkler, too...let's go with six Oran Berries, two Sitrus berries...four Heal Seeds....and six Reviver Seeds, just in case."

Kanga nodded as she reached a particularly big box and started to shift through its contents before pulling out the requested items. "All right...and there you go." She arranged the items on the counter. "Maybe White will be glad to have more room, but I'm not exactly sure what she will think of a human making use of her built-up storage."

"She was a human herself once, and she became human after our run-in with that Ranger," Pika replied. "She'll be fine with an Avatar making use of it."

"Thanks, guys," Khrista stated. She slipped the red backpack off her shoulder and slid the items into a medium-sized, open pocket, which she promptly zipped shut.

"It's the least we could do," Pika responded. "Good luck up there -- you'd going to need it."

Kanga took the box and put it back in its place. "You kids had better get going -- all of Treasure Town is buzzing with excitement, and I'm probably going to get swamped with returning Teams who want me to store almost everything they've found today."

Khrsita nodded. "I'd probably be doing the same, if I were in their situation -- they're no use being unprepared. Again, thanks for the help."

"It's what I do."

As Khrista and the Eevee and Espeon left Treasure Town, Grace asked, "Who are you taking with you?"

"Raichu, Linoone, and Sparkler," Khrista responded. She let out a sigh. "I was planning on taking only Raichu, but Sparkler insisted that I bring everybody else."

"You're Sparkler's Trainer?" Eliza asked, frowning.

The brown-haired teen shook her head. "No. Mist is his Trainer, and she's up there. He insisted on coming because he wanted to see her or something."

"Could you take me?" Grace asked hopefully.

"No," Eliza and Khrista replied together. The Espeon and the human then exchanged glances of surprise upon finding that they had spoken in unison.

Grace frowned. "Why not?"

"I don't know which games you placed, but you're not going to be ready for what's up there," Khrista replied. "Shoot, _I_ don't feel like I'm ready to go up there, but I have to. You don't."

Grace scowled at the idea. Eliza, seeing the look on her younger sister's face, decided to change the subject a little.

"If you can decide on what your final form is going to be, you can come up with everybody else." Eliza stated calmly. "But you have to decided soon, if you really want to come up with the rest of us."

Grace looked at her sister in surprise. "Really? You'd let me come up if I figured out what I wanted to evolve into?"

The Espeon gave a nod. "I'm going to go to the Marowak Dojo. If you've made your decision, come and find me." With that, Eliza turned and bounded off.

Grace watched her sister go, then turned and looked up at Khrista. "Can you help me? Please?"

"Uh...sure, I wouldn't mind," Khrista replied. She got down into a crouching position to look the Eevee in the eye. "What have you narrowed it down to?"

"I've got it narrowed down to Vaproeon, Espeon, and Glaceon, but I can't decide between those three. And then there's Umbreon, but that doesn't look all that cool, even though it has the fewest weaknesses of the eight."

"Well, you're big sister _is_ an Espeon."

Grace nodded. "That's right. Eliza always liked the whole 'moving stuff with your mind' thing."

What Grace said struck Khrista with an idea. "What do you like to do, though?"

"What do I like to do?" Grace repeated, confused.

"Maybe I should reword that.... What do you want to be able to do?"

Grace frowned as she tried to gather her thoughts together. "I would like to be able to fly be myself," she finally admitted. "It gets to be annoying when you have to rely on other Pokemon to travel from place to place." The Eevee let out a sigh. "But there isn't an Eeveelution that focuses on the Flying-Type."

"There might be," Khrista pointed out. "The professors just haven't discovered it yet."

"You really think so?"

"Eevee are known to be capable of adapting to each and every situation thrown at them," the teen reminded the Pokemon. "I'd find it highly possible that an Eevee could sprout wings and fly."

Grace became excited. "All right!" She started to jump about excitedly, only to frown. "But, what are the conditions I've got to meet?"

Khrista frowned, as well. "Well, friendship in any instance won't work so it'll have to be a trade or maybe one of the stones.... A Dawn or a Shiny Stone would be my best guess."

"How would I do a trade?"

"Exploration Teams have a special item for it. I think it's called a Cable Box.... Your sister would know about this sort of thing better than I would."

Grace nodded. "Yeah. I'll go ask her about it. Thanks, Khrista!"

"It wasn't a problem."

As the Eevee took off for the Marowak Dojo, Khrista got to her feet and started for the Square, searching for something else that she could do. Upon finding nothing of interest -- and no one to talk to -- she walked over to an empty picnic table and sat down, taking off her backpack and putting it on the table. The teen then allowed her thoughts to wander, wondering what she was going to do once she was inside Cyrus' tower.

Obviously, because she had managed to escape, security was going to be a lot tighter than it had been when she was in there. One wrong move, and she could be worse than dead with a snap of her fingers. And then there was the problem of finding her way around. Team Galactic didn't very well hand out maps to intruders -- like in the games, she had to find her way around on her own.

_"Hey, Khrista!"_

The teen's eyes shot over to the center of the Square, widening in surprise upon seeing who it was that had called her name.

"Victini?" she asked, getting up from the picnic table as the little Legendary approached.

 _"That's me!"_ the Fire/Psychic-Type confirmed. He grinned hugely. _"I've really wanted to meet you for a while, Khrista."_

"You have?" Khrista couldn't help but feel a little bewildered at this.

Victini nodded. _"A human Legendary like you truly is one-of-a-kind. I doubt that even Arceus saw it coming."_

"I think that he probably _could_ , actually...."

Victini shrugged, then started to hover around the teen. _"Can you do two Types at once?"_

Khrista shook her head. "I don't know if I can, or even if it's a good idea. If I can, I won't be able to figure it out until after Cyrus has been taken out."

_"Yeah...you don't have much time left, do you?"_

"No; I think the Professors are hoping that I leave tonight. Personally, I agree -- the sooner we get this done, the better."

Victini nodded in agreement. _"Yeah -- this place really is starting to get dull and boring -- I wouldn't mind being able to see the sun again."_

The determined look on Khrista's face faltered slightly. "Yeah...it had been a while...." She let out a sigh. "I can't help but wonder what my parents are doing right now. They're probably worried sick about me."

Victini looked concerned. _"Aren't you old enough to live by yourself?"_

"I'm 16, Victini. I'll be able to leave my home and live on my own legally in two years." Khrista let out another sigh. "I'm the only kid in my family, too, so they can't really worry about anyone else."

Victini cocked his head to one side, a curious look on his face that Khrista couldn't help but smile at. The little Legendary looked absolutely adorable. _"Hmmm... Maybe Merlin can put something together to send you guys home. I wouldn't out it past him to be able to cook something up like that."_

Khrista perked up like this. "You think so?"

Victini nodded. _"He wouldn't just toss a challenge like that."_

"There you are!"

Khrista's and Victini's heads turned, catching sight of Raichu, Sparkler, and Linoone as they approached.

"I was starting to wonder if you'd left already," Raichu remarked as they reached the picnic table.

"No way was I going to leave without you guys," Khrista responded with a quick smile. "Are you guys ready to go?" She grabbed her backpack and threw a strap over one shoulder.

"Not quite," Sparkler answered. "We should let the professors know we're heading out first."

The teen nodded. "Yeah; you're right. Come on; let's go tell them before anyone else finds out and tries to get us to stay any longer than we should." She started to make her way over to the lab, the Pokemon in pursuit. Upon reaching the building, Khrista exchanged glances with the Pokemon, then opened the door.

"Professor Birch?" she called out as the group stepped into the lab.

The Hoenn Professor looked up from a binder that looked like it was full of photos. "Hello, Khrista. Is anything the matter?"

"Nothing's wrong," the teen responded. "Just popped by to get you know that we're ready to go."

"Really?" Birch came over. "In that case, I've got a message from the Lake Sprits for you."

"Why couldn't they tell us themselves?" Raichu asked, frowning.

"They said they needed to iron things out with Ho-Oh and probably wouldn't be back until after you'd left," the Hoenn Professor explained.

"Ah," Khrista stated, nodding. "So, what did that want to tell us?"

"It concerns Cyrus," Birch explained. "For the past few days, the Trio have been sensing a lot of Dark-Type tinted nightmares from the top of the tower. They think that Darkrai might be having a bit too much fun driving Cyrus insane."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Khrista asked. " 'Cause I'm thinking that the less stability he has, the less stability the rest of the place has."

"It's doing nothing to help or hinder them. The only thing that really slowed them down is when he affected one other person -- a scientist. Uxie wants you to, when you head n there, hunt down Darkrai and get him to start affecting everybody else."

Khrista nodded. "Right. I'll find him."

"And another thing." Birch moved over to a corner of the lab and returned a moment later with a red device. "You're going to need this."

Khrista accepted the device and looked it over. "Is this a PokeDex?"

"Not just and PokeDex," Birch replied with a twinkle in his eye. "It's the same one you received from me at the start of your journey, albeit a little...upgraded."

Khrista flipped open the device and fumbled around from the "on" switch, after which she discovered that, much to her delight, all of the Pokemon she had caught were recorded there.

The teen grinned. "Awesome."

"You can use it to keep an eye on your Pokemon's health and ability to use certain moves," the Hoenn professor explained. "Make sure that it doesn't leave your sight, either. Team Galactic doesn't know as much as we do about Pokemon species, and I'm pretty certain that there are some we still don't know about, either."

Khrista nodded. "Yeah -- I was just talking with Grace about the undiscovered Flying-Type Eeveelution. I haven't seen it, but I'm pretty sure that Grace could find it, if she really wants to become one."

"She wants to fly that badly, huh?"

"I should think so." Khrista slipped the PokeDex into her backpack. "So, are you going to make sure that everyone else knows where I've gone?"

"Only those who really should know," the Hoenn professor responded. "Any Pokemon in particular?"

"Swamp and Chaos," Linoone stated. "They'll get the news to everybody else."

"They're probably on Mt. Coronet, helping other Pokemon train," Raichu added.

Birch nodded. "Right. Now get going! I don't want to hold you up for any longer than you've stayed."

Khrista smiled in agreement. "I'll be seeing you and everybody else later, then, make sure everybody's ready to kick Team Galactic into next week."

"I think Rayquaza's gonna knock them into the next decade," Raichu stated with a smirk.

"Well, we'll leave something for him, then," Khrista remarked. The teen nodded to Victini. "You'd better keep everybody's energy up -- if we're to win this, everybody on our side has got to be fired up."

Victini grinned. _"Not even the Snorlax will sleep because of the energy they feel!"_ He gave the Trainer a mock salute, then flew out the still-open door.

Khrista then nodded to the three Pokemon present. "All right, guys. I don't want to get too much attention when we head in there."

The Pokemon nodded in agreement, then retreated into their respective PokeBalls, which were still on Khrista's belt. After a quick nod to Prof. Birch in farewell, the teen stepped out of the building...

...and almost bumped into a woman.

Khrista blinked in surprise, stopping her movement before she could bump into the figure accidentally. The teen's eyes quickly scanned the woman as the stranger did the same to Khrista.

"Mrs. Ketchum?" Khrista guessed softly after taking note of the woman's appearance.

The woman looked at her sharply, brown eyes filled its surprise and suspicion. "How do you know who I am?"

"I'm from that other world," Khrista explained. "You didn't show up all that often in the TV show from what I heard, but I'd know who you are anywhere anyway."

Mrs. Ketchum was flattered by this, then frowned. "You came from that other world?" Upon seeing Khrsita nod in confirmation, she asked, "You wouldn't happen to be the child who came from...up there, would you?"

Khrista nodded a second time. "My name's Khrista. My cousin Joshua's Pokemon, Alak, got me out of there right under the Galactics' noses."

Mrs. K took ahold of Khrista's shoulders. "Tell me -- have you seen my son?" Upon seeing Khrista nod again, she demanded, "Is there any hope if him being rescued?"

Khrista was a little startled by this question, but she shook it off and answered, "Ash is doing well, considering his situation. And yes, there is a possibility that he can be rescued. The Red Chain had been built to enslave Pokemon, not humans -- it doesn't work completely on Ash."

Mrs. K's eyes widened. "It doesn't?"

Khrista shook her head. "At night, he can travel into other people's dreams -- give them nightmares, scare them into doing different things, etc. I actually met him officially that way -- him being forced to hunt me down after I got here doesn't count." The teen smirked. "Plus, if you say his name often enough in a day, the chain breaks its hold on him for a little bit."

Mrs. K gave Khrista a nervous smile. "Do you think that will rescue him?"

"I'm not completely sure.... Rayquaza _did_ rescue Giratine from his bonds by accidentally slashing it, so we could do the same with Ash. It's going to be tricky, though -- Giratina, from what I've gathered, was entrapped in a copy of the real deal, which Ash is stuck in. An attack that's much more powerful than a basic attack from a Dragon is probably what's needed....."

"Please, figure it out," Mrs. K begged. "I want my son back."

"And we will get him back," Khrista promised. "But we're going to need all the help we can get. If you could help out in any way, I'm sure it'll be greatly appreciated."

Mrs. K's eyes went up the front of the Professors' lab, the uncertain look on her face becoming one of determination. "All right; I'll do it. For Ash."

"That's the spirit!" Khrista encouraged. "Professor Birch is just inside; he can tell you where you can help out the most."

"Thank you, Khrista." Mrs. K walked over to the door as the teen stepped to one side. "Next time you see my son up there, tell him I said hello."

The statement startled Khrista. "How did you --"

"I know a person dressed for travel when I see one." The woman's eyes twinkled with mischief. "You'd better get going."

The teen nodded. "Right." She turned and jogged off, leaving the human and Pokemon-built buildings behind.


	41. Infiltration

**Khrista's POV**

I ended up Teleporting into the storage room that I had been in before. Oddly enough, Gangrene was waiting for me, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest and a knowing smirk on her face.

"About time you got back," the Gengar remarked, stepping away from the wall.

I blinked in confusion. "Wait. You _knew_ I was coming back? How?"

"Long story." Gangrene grabbed my arm. "Come on -- shift to Ghost and let's head over to Joshua's."

She tugged me towards a wall that looked like it had been recently put up, and I quickly went from gold to gray-purple so that I and my stuff would make it through without getting squished or something.

I almost lost a couple atoms because -- and keep this in mind, guys -- sliding between solid objects as some sort of gas _tickles horrendously._ I had to bite my proverbial lower lip until I managed to get out on the other side...in a dark gray hallway that didn't look anything like what I'd remembered of the other areas.

Plus, there wasn't anybody else there which unnerved me. A lot. Especially after considering that Gangrene, Alak, and I had been spending time in that storeroom before -- you'd think that the Galactics would have put up some people to stand guard or something.

"Come on," Gangrene stated, continuing to tug me along. I followed after her and we continued to shift through the walls.

She told me (after going through more walls and terrifying a couple Plasma grunts) that we were in the basement of the tower, where everything was stored.

"The food's going so fast that everything's being rationed," Gangrene added when we had arrived in yet another empty storeroom. "Everything else is in a blocked off where only the Commanders and some sneaky Pokemon can get to."

"Which happens to be you," I guessed.

"Oh! you flatter me!" Gangrene chuckled. "But I'm not the only sneaky one here. The Nightmare King is having a fine time going around and messing with Charon's head and his food stores."

My ears prickled. "You mean Darkrai. Have you seen him?"

"Eh." The Gengar made "so-so" motions. "He hangs out at the top of the tower, in the Head Goon's office."

"Can you take me to him?"

"Take you to him?" Gangrene became surprised. "Are you nuts? Doing that could reveal yourself to Cyrus!"

"Not if Darkrai has him in the insane state that I've heard so much about," I shot back. "If I can talk to the Dark-Type, then I want to talk to him."

Gangrene looked _really_ nervous at the idea, but then she gave me a nod. A moment later, she grabbed my arm and we went straight up in complete intangible mode.

As we went up, it occurred to me that this stuff might end up getting involved in a game that the Nintendo Company could make in the future. Meaning that where I was now is the final level...with a final boss waiting somewhere when I'd made enough progress.

The thought gave me the chills, but I shook it out pretty quickly. It'll come when it'll come -- there really wasn't a point in getting eaten by worry now.

Gangrene moved so quickly through the floors that she didn't give me much time to get a good look at the layout. Of what I _did_ see, it looked a lot like the usual team base scenario -- a lot of warp panels, and each floor had its own theme: storage in the basement, cells, training floors...Gangrene stayed in the wall on the way up for what seemed to be the center of the building, but she didn't me why other than, "It's blocked up to everybody. Even Pokemon can't get in."

Above that are the labs that the pesky scientists mess around in, and it's probably where they keep the Pokemon, too. When I was done talking with Darkrai about his obsession and got into contact with Joshua, I'm probably going to head there next.

And then, of course, at the top floor was Cyrus' "cozy" little office.

I'm pretty sure that "cozy" isn't the best word to describe it. It certainly wasn't as messy as what I had expected, though -- it looked like someone had tossed a bomb in there. The desk, the filing cabinets -- everything was torn apart and scattered every which way. I started to wonder what exactly Darkrai was doing to Cyrus' head....

Gangrene suddenly stiffened next to me as I was looking around at the papers scattered like some bad form of confetti. When I gave her a confused look, she pulled me upward.

"Someone's coming!" the Gengar hissed.

Instinctively, I went for being more invisible than being intangible, and turned my attention to the floor below us while my back hit the ceiling. I felt like I was some sort of party balloon waiting to drop a cargo of sorts on some unsuspecting person.

My head turned sharply as a figure entered the room from a warp panel. It took me a moment to realize that the figure was Cyrus, only really, really haggard-looking. Darkrai was definitely doing a number on him, because it showed -- a lot. Man, I wouldn't want to get on _that_ Pokemon's bad side.

Speaking of which...as soon as that thought entered my head, I felt as though there was a pair of eyes watching me -- and it wasn't Cyrus, that's for sure!

I caught sight of Cyrus' shadow shifting of its own accord, and the man collapsed. A moment later, the shadow rose up, red and white blossoming as it started to form into a figure. And there stood Darkrai.

 _"Greetings,"_ the Dark-Type stated. _"What brings you here?"_

I had no idea that the Nightmare King's voice would have less rasp than it did in the movie -- it almost sounded like rough silk with a bit of danger added in.

"Uh...the attack on the tower's going to start soon," I stated quickly, trying to get my thoughts in order. "The...the Lake Spirits wanted you to work on everybody else's heads -- not just Cyrus'."

The Legendary frowned. _"My actions in Cyrus' dreams have been more than enough in causing havoc. Many of those under his command have already begun to doubt what their leader tells them. The entire Aqua squadron had broken away from his control, and I've been wearing away at his control of Magma, as well."_

I became surprised at this. Aqua's loose? Well -- those guys might be able to help.

"Cyrus is much more integral to the balance of his empire than it seems," I noted, blinking. Gangrene gave a vicious nod in agreement.

 _"Indeed. If he falls, they all fall."_ Darkrai gave me a curious look -- or, what _might_ have passed as a curious look, considering I didn't see his face. _"What are you doing here, anyway? I would have thought that you would not have stayed away from seeing your cousin for so long."_

"That's next on my list for things to do," I replied quickly. "I'm planning on doing what I can to help him out as much as hinder these guys." I motioned to the collapsed man on the floor.

Darkrai gave a nod of approval. _"Good. That boy needs to know you're here so he can prepare himself."_

"Prepare himself?" I repeated, blinking. What did _that_ mean?

 _"You were not the only ones who have been planning what to do to this place."_ Darkrai sounded really amused for some reason. _"Now go to your friend; I will take care of things here in my own way."_

Seconds later, Gangrene grabbed my arm and dragged me back down again.

"How is it that you weren't trembling in fear?" Gangrene demanded as we went.

"How is it that you _were_?" I retorted. "I mean, he's _just_ another Pokemon...that happens to be really powerful."

"If that's how all of you Avatars see Legendaries, then I'm amazed you're still alive," Gangrene replied. "Believe me, I'd rather tremble in fear than have them underestimated."

"All the same, you have _no idea_ how many people own Legendaries where I come from," I muttered. If Gangrene heard me, she didn't say anything else.

We reached the hall where the kids were pretty quickly, meaning that I wasn't going to have to make the choice of yanking out Green's little communicator.

Oh, yeah...Green. They're probably expecting me to report in by now....

Eh. It can wait until later. I've got a cousin to talk to.

Gangrene looked around for a moment, then locked her gaze on one steel door in particular and started to pull me towards it.

"Let's give him a little surprise," she muttered, smirking.

I had to go fully intangible _and_ invisible in order to follow the Gengar's movements. I think I'm going to have to take a power nap later in order to get all my energy back.

We slipped through the steel door without too much difficulty, but as soon as we did I nearly went visible out of shock.

There was a Magma grunt standing in the center of the room and glaring up at Joshua, who was sitting cross-legged on the right-side upper bunk with his arms crossed.

"Well, isn't this just great," I muttered under my breath.

**Line Break -- Joshua's POV**

My annoyance with his new sentry had pretty much reached the tipping point. The Magma grunt wouldn't speak, didn't move from his spot, and didn't even blink, making it hard for me to actually get anything done concerning my plans. All I could do was sit on his bunk and think on what upgrades I had to make to the tech that was hidden under the mattress in the other upper bunk.

Suddenly, there as a slight tickling sensation at the back of my head. It wasn't strong enough to be an annoyance, but it didn't fade away as quickly as it had come, either.

 _*We've got a couple visitors*_ Blitzen noted.

I almost turned my head in order to look at the usual arrival spot, but I realized a second before I did that the Magma grunt was still staring at me. I shifted and made as though I was going to lie down, doing my best to ignore the man I had just broken a staring contest with.

 _If they're going to be able to do anything, they're going to have to take down him,_ I made it a point of saying.

A moment later, the dark corner seemed to almost ripple, and Joshua made out the form of what seemed to be a human floating. The figure positioned itself behind the Magma grunt, raised something, and slammed it into the sentry's neck.

A second later, the Magma grunt collapsed and began to twitch.

"Gangrene suggested I use Hypnosis on him," came a girl's voice seconds later. "Then she used Nightmare, I guess."

There was another ripple, and the one person I had been expecting appeared, my Gengar next to her. Curious blue eyes, brown hair looking a bit staticky, purple-gray shirt...

...yup, that's my cousin.

"When did you get the sentry?" Khrista asked, looking down at the Magma below her hovering self.

"When the cameras went out," I replied. "When did you get here?"

"An hour, maybe hour and a half ago. Had a quick chat with Darkrai before I came down here...." Khrista shook her head. "Cyrus' office looks like a pig sty. The Legendary's been doing his job well."

Gangrene looked a little nervous, then gave a nod in agreement.

I blinked. "Well, I should hope he's doing his job," I remarked. "Or else I probably wouldn't have _gotten_ him." I motioned to the Magma grunt on the floor. I decided to cut to the chase, then. "Are there others coming?"

Khrista gave me a look of surprise. "Wha -- how did you know anyone was coming?" She shook her head. "Never mind." Looking back at me, she explained, "When they told me I had to come back up here and take care of a few things, they were still ironing out a lot of the details, as far as I know."

This was certainly news. "They sent you up here without knowing what they were fully going to do yet?" I shook the thought out of my head. "Nevermind. They would have wanted to be able to know what it is they have to prepare for up here." I looked directly at my cousin again, locking my hazel, green-specked eyes with her blue ones. "Did you bring anyone with you?"

I could feel the PokeBall in my pocket move in response to the question, but I ignored it.

Khrista gave a nod and motioned to the three PokeBalls that I now saw were on a belt around her waist. A moment later, though, it sounded like something started to shift in the red backpack on my cousin's back, and she turned to glare at it as the zipper for the largest pocket opened on its own. A pair of yellow ears with black tips came out the top, followed by a Pikachu wearing a red scarf.

"What are you doing here?" Khrista asked in surprise.

"Guildmasters can tell when there's something wrong," the Pikachu replied, straightening his scarf and adjusting the winged PokeBall that was pinned there. "Something big is going to go down here, and I wanted to see it through. You're going to need my help."

Guildmaster...? He's one of _those_ Pokemon? Then why would he help a human?

_*Remember, we have ears....*_

Oh, right. I'm going to have to let Khrista know that, too.

"Team Aqua has been listening in," I spoke up right then.

 _That_ got their attention.

Khrista and the Pikachu looked at me in surprise.

" _What?_ " the Pikachu repeated. He looked between me and my cousin.

"That reminds me of something the Nightmare King said," Khrista noted, blinking. She frowned slightly. "He said they'd managed to break loose...."

"Then you know about as much about them as I do."

I could feel the PokeBall moving about more violently in my pocket, and I placed a hand there in order to still the Pokemon that was inside.

Khrista looked at me in surprise, then looked over at Gangrene, who had been watching all this with her usual, knowing smirk that clearly said she knew less about what was going on than she was letting on.

"Are you saying that you...." Khrista looked around before losing her voice. "... _that you met Team Aqua?"_

"I might have," I replied coolly. "But that doesn't matter at this point. What you came up here to do does, though." I pulled the red and white sphere out of my pocket and held it out to my cousin. "Here. You'll be able to use him better than I will at this point."

Khrista's eyes widened. "How--"

"Butch snuck him to me. You do recognize the Pokemon inside, right?"

Khrista moved over to my outstretched hand, took the PokeBall, and maximized its size so that she could have a better look at its contents. Upon seeing the Pokemon that was inside, her eyes widened even further. "No way."

"Way. You have now been reintroduced to my top Unova Pokemon -- known as Zorro." Upon seeing the look of shock my cousin was giving me, I added, "He can guide you through this building better than I can. He's been working in his illusions for some time, as well."

"I thought..." Khrista glanced down at the Magma grunt, then continued in a whisper, "I thought he was a Zorua."

"Was being the key word. Z got separated from his mom, and he wants to hunt down the guy who kept his mom from watching him grow up."

The Pikachu's eyes widened. "Zorua are known to bear great grudges against the person who took them away from their mothers before their time."

Slowly, the Magma grunt began to stir below Khrista's and Gangrene's feet. As soon as I saw that, I pointed for the steel door with a hard look on my face.

"Get out of here!" I hissed. "Start to hunt down those things you need to destroy. I'll take care of what I have to."

Khrista nodded. "I'll come back later to let you know of my progress." With that, she clipped Zorro's PokeBall to her belt and vanished, the air around the door rippling a moment later.

I turned to look at Gangrene. "You know what to do."

The Gengar gave me a mock salute and a Joker grin before disappearing, as well.

The Magma grunt let out a groan as he stood up slowly. "Uh.... What happened?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, keeping a straight face. All part of the act -- if I could make it look like I was sitting there the whole time, then if it was a trap the Galactics had set up as a result of the Nightmare act, then I would be ready to keep up appearances.

"Something attacked me," the grunt muttered. "I remember a flash of light...." He looked around in confusion. "What am I doing here, anyway?"

My eyes widened upon seeing the Magma member's actions.

_*Do you think he's --*_

_I don't know. It sounds like he is._ Quickly tapping his left ear, I muttered, "Nick, get over here -- _now_. Something's up with the new sentry the goons sent."

There was the sound of static on the other end, then the Aqua member's voice came over the communicator. :: _What happened?::_

"The kid who escaped is back, and she's got a few new moves. For instance, the Hypnosis/Nightmare combo she and my Gengar used on the Magma grunt."

_::And now there's something up with him?::_

"He's acting like he's lost some of his memory." I eyed the Magma grunt, who was looking at me curiously. "Almost like the spell's been broken."

_::...I'm coming right over::_

"Who were you just talking to?" the Magma grunt asked cautiously. He was looking at me like I might be part of the enemy...which, depending on how you look at it, I _had_ been, in another place and another time.

"Probably an old rival of yours," I responded. "So, you don't remember anything from the past few days?"

The man frowned, then shook his head. "It's pretty much a blur."

"But you know who you are?"

The grunt nodded. "Yeah...I do. Where are we?"

I let out a sigh and leaned back. "Sinnoh. At least, it used to be, before Team Galactic's leader actually managed to take over."

The steel door banged open, revealing Nick and his Azumaril. Upon seeing him, the Magma grunt's eyes flew wide, and he backed up into the wall.

"N-Nick?" the Magma grunt stammered. "What are you--"

Nick strode forward and grabbed the Magma member by the arm. "This isn't a good place to talk, Terrus," he growled. "Come on." With that, he took the Magma grunt out of the cell, closing the door behind him.

As soon as the door was shut, I slipped off the upper bunk and crossed to the other side and lifted up the mattress to check on my mechanical projects -- what used to be the physical cameras that had been part of the citadel's original design. After making sure that everything was in order, I dropped the mattress again and tapped my left ear.

"Mist, she's back."

There was a crackle of static. _::She is? That was later than I thought she'd be back. What took her so long?::_

"Training, probably. Be ready -- the rebellion's going to happen in a few day's time. Aqua's been loose for a while, and my cousin will be able to contact us whenever she feels the need to, now." I looked up at the ceiling, considering what I had seen in my dreams...sounds corny, I know. "It won't be long before everything will be set to rights."

_::You got that right. We might not even need my sister for this::_

I blinked in confusion. "Your sister?"

_::...never mind. Mist out::_


	42. Psychic Release

Khrista knew that Joshua had trained his Zorua to be fast, but she hadn't figured on Zorro's evolved form. That Zoroark was _extremely_ hard to keep up with, even when he was going at _half_ his normal speed.

"How much Carbos did he give you?" Khrista asked as she flew through the halls, still in her invisible ghost state.

"I never bothered to count," Zorro responded carelessly. "We don't have much further to go -- our destination's up ahead."

"Where are you taking us?" Pika asked from her position on Khrista's shoulder. He had moved out of the backpack and zipped it shut as soon as they had gotten out of Joshua's cell.

"You'll see." The Zoroark turned a corner and jumped up onto a wall, his claws digging into the material. Khrista stopped beside him, her eyes looking over the hallway before them.

"Zorro, what am I supposed to be looking at?" Khrista asked, frowning.

"This is where they keep the Pokemon," Zorro explained. "Come on -- the Psychic-Types are holed up in here." He jumped from wall to wall, stopping at the end of the hall in front of a door marked with a purple eye. "We're going to need a password in order to get through."

"Spoken or typed?" the teen inquired.

"It looks like a keycard," Pika remarked, pointing to a slot on the door.

Khrista let out a growl of annoyance. "Great. Now we have to find someone with a keycard -- and the right keycard, too."

"It's Butch," Zorro stated.

The teen looked at the Zoroark in surprise. "The Rocket grunt? He has it?"

Zorro nodded. "Despite how he acts, he's top Stoutland when it comes to Pokemon care."

"Which is ironic, considering what Rocket used to do to people," Pika noted, raising an eyebrow. "Where are we going to find him?"

"Who's there?"

Khrista turned towards the source of the voice and, upon seeing who it was, smirked.

"Looks like we won't have to look too hard," she remarked.

**Change in POV -- Butch, 3rd**

When Butch had heard that the Psychic-Types were acting up, he went straight to the storage room in order to figure out what was wrong.

You could probably imagine his shock when an invisible something snatched the keycard away from him and opened the door, all the while talking in three different voices.

"Who's there?" the ex-Rocket grunt demanded for the umpteenth time. "Show yourself!"

When there wasn't an answer, he walked forward quickly, entering the room. Upon seeing what was going on inside, his eyes widened.

"Take it easy, guys," a brown-haired girl in an orange shirt said as she broke apart the bars of a cage that held some of the Pokemon. "I'll get each and every single one of you out; just give me a minute."

Butch's heart picked up speed as the girl's shirt seemingly changed colors as she moved from cage to cage, tearing the bars apart and severing the Pokemon's connection with the system. And then there were the girl's partners! The Zoroark and Pikachu looked powerful enough to destroy any one of the Psychic-Types!

Wait a minute....

"What are you doing with that Zoroark?" Butch demanded as he stepped towards the girl.

The teen sent a quick look in his direction, then looked back at the cage bars she was trying to pry apart. "I'm borrowing him for a little while; my friend said that he would be helpful in my work."

The Zoroark grinned at Butch, then slashed a cage open, allowing a Mime Jr. and a Smoochum to tumble out. He then moved onto the next cage.

"And what is your work?" Butch asked slowly, watching as the Psychic-Type Pokemon gathered in the center of the room, eyeing him suspiciously.

The girl grinned at him. "What does it look like it is?" She looked around the room for a moment, then out her hands in her pockets. "Looks like that's--"

"Hey!" the Pikachu suddenly called out. "There's one more Pokemon trapped in here!"

The teen turned her head in the Pokemon's direction, frowning as she did. "What do you mean, one more?"

"It's back here somewhere," the Pikachu replied, motioning to the wall at the back of the cell. "Help me find something that could get it loose -- a hidden switch."

"Let me." The Zoroark stepped over and started to rake his claws over the wall. The grating noise scratched against Butch's ears until the Dark-Type hit something and paused. The Pokemon put his full paw on the area and pushed down, and a resounding _click_ came from that area in the wall.

Butch swallowed nervously as the wall slowly slid back, revealing the hidden chamber that had been installed after construction.

The girl's blue eyes widened. "No way." She looked back at Butch. "You guys caught the Wishmaker? When?" The curious look quickly morphed to a serious one.

"When your friend got here," Butch responded cautiously, not liking the expression on her face.

The girl looked back at the sleeping form of the Legendary, her eyes narrowing as she took note of the wires that wove in, out, and around the Psychic/Steel-Type. "Now, how are we going to do this...."

Her shirt became a dark purple that marched the shade of a Gastly's form. She raised her right hand, then threw what appeared to be a Shadow Ball at a mechanical device above Jirachi's head. The attack bounced back and hit a wall, dissipating.

The girl frowned. "Hmmm...looks like some sort of force field." She reached out and found the force field. "Maybe it's got a weak spot."

"I don't think it does," Butch responded. "Cyrus built it himself."

"The two Electric Mice at your belt," the Pikachu stated, pointing at the brown-haired girl's waist. "We should be able to find something if we work together."

The teen's eyes widened, and she smacked herself in the forehead. "Of course! I completely forgot about them." She reached for her belt and tossed two PokeBalls into the air, releasing two Raichu--a male and a female.

The male Raichu looked around with wide eyes. "Are we inside the tower?"

The teen nodded. "Yeah. We've got a little problem." She motioned to the chamber. "There's some sort of force field keeping us from getting to the Wishmaker. There's probably a generator connected to it. Do you think you guys could find it and take it out?"

The female Raichu saluted, then moved to stand in front of the slumbering Legendary, her tail twitching.

After a moment, the Electric-Type pointed at a corner of the room, sparks flying off the thunderbolt on her tail. "It looks like there's a problem in the wiring over there somewhere."

The girl nodded. "Can you overcharge it without hurting Jirachi?"

The Raichu thought for a moment, then nodded. She led the other two Electric-Types over to the corner, pointing up at a box-like device above their heads.

"On my count," the female Raichu stated. "Ready...set...now!"

The three Pokemon used Thunder at once, sending the attack up at the device in the corner. Instantly, the electricity spread out across the room, affecting the wires and lighting in the room.

The teen smirked. "Let's hope this works." She caught sight of the nervous look on Butch's face, causing her grin to become wider. "Don't be such a worrywart. You and Cassidy ran into this sort of thing enough times that you should have a minor immunity to it."

Her eyes went over to where Jirachi lay, watching as the energy field started to fluctuate from the added electricity. With a final flash of light, the force field vanished, and the technology in the room began to smoke.

The male Raichu grinned. "They never learn." The female Raichu nodded in agreement.

The brown-haired teen nodded. "You got that right." She moved over to where Jirachi had been trapped and, moving quickly, removed the wiring and removed the Legendary from the machine. "I hope they didn't do anything to him."

The Psychic/Steel-Type let out a moan, then shook his head as he came to. _"What? Where...."_ The Legendary's eyes instantly widened, and he jumped out of the teen's arms. _"What happened? The last thing I remember--"_

"Calm down," the blue-eyed girl stated calmly. "We only just got you out of the thing Cyrus had you trapped in." She motioned to the smoking device behind the Legendary. "What ended up getting you trapped here in the first place?"

Jirachi's gaze went over the group quickly, and, after a moment, the Wishmaker stated, _"Mewtwo wanted to find a way to stop Cyrus' progress for a little while, and he and I managed to sneak in and mess around with that machine of his right before they sent someone through. They came up from behind, but Mewtwo managed to escape. I've probably been trapped here ever since."_

Butch frowned slightly. "Probably? You haven't been moved at all from there since we out you in there at Cyrus' behest." It took him a moment to realize that he had actually managed to say his boss' name without getting is mouth shut, so he decided to test how far he could go. "Honestly, the only way you managed to get out is that those Electric-Types managed to break that coot's machine."

Much to his delight, neither of his hands moved up to cover his mouth and prevent him from saying anything more.

The girl gave him an odd look, her shirt turning gold. "Hold still for a minute, Butch."

Before the ex-Rocket grunt could ask about what the girl was going to do, she grabbed his forehead, and he instantly blacked out.

**Change in POV -- Khrista**

It turns out that Jirachi had sensed that I was coming, and that I would be needing some help. Somehow, he was involved in Joshua getting to keep his free will, and he was more than willing to help out in any way he could. I ended up telling him to head back to the Underground and tell them my progress in the chaos-making, and to try and help them in any way possible.

Turning to look at Zorro, who was poking at the knocked out Butch, I asked, "Do you have any idea where they hid the controls for the outer defense system?"

Zorro thought for a moment. "I think they have the Electric-Types powering that. Rescue them, and that should do it." He made his way over to the door, looking at each of the Psychic-Types in turn. "Make yourselves scarce, all of you. Teleport yourselves out of here and find shelter."

"Find Ho-Oh," Raichu suggested. "He'll give you shelter."

The Pokemon nodded, then disappeared at once in a great flash of light, leaving the room empty except for us.

At my feet, Butch began to stir, letting out a grunt as he stood up.

"You mind giving me some sort of warning next time?" he demanded, annoyed.

I shrugged. "I wanted a private conversation with the Legendary. Could you blame me?"

"...Well, I guess not." Butch looked around a little fearfully. "But do you have any idea as to how much trouble I'm going to get in? If they find out that I was here when the Pokemon vanished, Cyrus is going to have my head!"

I gave him a curious look. Really? They were that scared of him when he was half mad? "Cyrus has his hands full already. If you really want to hide, I'm sure that you could figure out something."

Zorro frowned. "I highly doubt that we can do anything for him," he remarked from his position by the door. "Come on; we've got to find those Electric-Types."

I was about to answer when the communicator in my ear suddenly crackled with static, Green's voice coming over it a moment later.

_::Khrista? Are you there?::_

"Yeah, I'm here," I answered, pressing a finger to my left ear. "What's up?"

_::Jirachi just got here. Is it true that you've managed to disable the Psychic sensor?::_

"I do believe that I have," I confirmed. "Have you guys managed to settle on a date yet?"

_::Birch wants it to start sometime in the next two days. Nothing narrowed down any further than that::_

"All right; I'll keep an eye and an ear out for you guys and try to take care of things up here. At the rate I'm going, I'll probably have everything spiraling down into chaos long before you get up here."

_::Don't be too rash. We don't want this thing over before it's begun. Over an out::_

I looked over at Zorro as the two Raichu disappeared into their PokeBalls and Pika climbed onto my shoulder. "Any place you know of that we can hide in for the night?"

The Zoroark nodded instantly. "I know of the perfect place. Come on." He dashed out the door.

I ran after him, switching to Ghost-Type so that I could fly and move more quickly without being seen. We were out of that area of the building in seconds.


	43. Aqua Sleepover

Nick looked up as the warp panel flashed, signaling the arrival of an intruder. Quickly, he hid the communication equipment he was using in order to listen in on the goings-on in the tower.

"Hello?" the figure asked, looking around the bunks.

Nick's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing the female voice. It matched the voice of the person that had been in Joshua's cell not too long ago.

"That Nick kid should be around here somewhere," a Pokemon muttered. Nick identified the voice as a Zoroark's -- most likely that boy's friend.

The Aqua grunt moved out of his hiding place. "Who's there?" he demanded.

"A friend of your ally's," the brown-haired girl stated. Nick took note of the girl's red shirt, frowning slightly upon seeing the yellow Master Ball. "We need someplace to spend the night, and I don't think that hiding with my friend at this point would be such a good idea."

"What makes you say that?" Nick asked.

"Well, we were going to stop there, but there were a couple Galactic grunts standing there, so we couldn't go in without being seen." The girl looked around. "I don't suppose that you're being watched, too."

"They think we're too weak," Nick's Azumaril stated flatly as he showed himself. "They haven't bothered to fix the security cameras since the lightning storm outside took them out."

The girl frowned, her blue eyes darkening. "Lightning storm?" she repeated.

"It's nothing that you should probably be worrying about," Nick stated carelessly. "You said something about looking for someplace to hide?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah." She reached for the her belt, releasing two Raichu and a Linoone from the PokeBalls there as a Pikachu with a scarf jumped off her back. "At least until the following morning."

Nick's eyes widened. "Oh, sheesh. You brought all of these Pokemon with you?"

"Linoone and Raichu can be very helpful," the girl responded calmly. "The Pikachu decided to hitchhike in my backpack without my consent."

The female Raichu eyed Azumaril cautiously. "Are you sure we can trust them?"

"They're included in the plan," the Zoroark responded. "I don't see why we can't."

"Try saying that after you helped to take them out."

Nick eyed the girl cautiously. "How much experience do you have in this world?"

"I'm great with the Training stuff; I've pretty much dabbled in everything else," the teen responded carelessly. "All Galactic knows is that I'm a Hoenn expert."

Nick was surprised at this. "You mean that you didn't tell them everything?"

"They didn't fill me with a truth serum," the brown-haired teen replied, grinning. "So I just filled it in how I felt like. What's the big deal about that?"

"What's the big deal?" Nick repeated. "Kid, you've probably got a bigger advantage over those goons than you realize."

The teen frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"When Cyrus' 'new world' came into play, a lot of the records from the old one vanished," Azumaril explained. "And the ones they had left weren't of much help -- you otherworlders had so many nicknames and usernames that it was hard to tell which one was your real name. There's a slim chance that they have your actual records, but if no one knows your real name, then they're pretty much useless."

The girl was surprised by this. "Seriously? So I can get the jump on the goons by knowing what their Pokemon's weaknesses are?"

"If you think that's how it'll best suit you."

The teen exchanged grins with her Pokemon. "Oh, this is going to be _fun_. Next morning, we are _so_ going to give them the time of their lives." She looked around at the bunk beds. "So, are all of these taken?"

Nick nodded. "There are some of us who take night shifts, though. I think that Shelly--"

"No, no, don't worry about it," the teen stated. "I don't want to surprise anyone who comes back early. I can find some other place to sleep."

There was a sudden _WHUMP_ from the other end of the room, causing the group's heads to turn to look at the back of the room in surprise.

"Well?" Shelly looked at the group from her position in front of a mattress. "The kid needs a sleeping place, right?"

The teen grinned. "Thanks! Come on, guys!"

She led the Pokemon over to the mattress. It ended up with the girl lying on the mattress, with the Zoroark at her feet, the Pikachu by her head, and the two Raichu and Linoone bunched around in whatever other places were available -- at the girl's sides, mainly.

Shelly tossed a blanket at them, watching with amusement as the Pokemon and the human arranged it in such a way that only their heads stuck out.

"So, you're the kid that got out?" the Aqua Admin asked.

The teen nodded. "Yup. I came back to start to set things up for the fall. If there's anything you can do to help take out the defenses this place as set up, it'll be more than helpful." She let out a yawn. "Well, I'd better get some sleep before having another go at them. Wake me up in about eight hours." With that, the girl drifted off.

Shelly looked over at Nick and Azumaril. "So, how's our little friend doing?"

"He's still a bit shocked about what's happened," the Water-Type responded. "Terrus'll be all right soon enough, I should think."

Shelly nodded in approval. "Good." She turned and walked back towards her bunk (which was now mattress-less) as she continued, "Next morning, send the girl to _his_ quarters. She could be the key to winning them over."

Nick gave the girl a curious look. "That kid? I dunno...."

"I heard what the boy said, too, Nick. What she did to Terrus, she could do to Maxie." She grinned back at the Aqua grunt. "And trust me, Maxie deserves it." With that, she lay down on the floor next to her bunk.

"Are you sure that's even comfortable?" Azumaril asked, curious.

"I'm used to sleeping like this," Shelly responded. "Good night, you two."


	44. In-Between Down Time

If Khrista hadn't left so early and so quickly, Birch would have kept her another two hours by asking her to tell him how much she knew about their world. The simple fact that she had managed to get Delia Ketchum (who wouldn't have left her house until everything was taken care of and her son was back to his normal self) to come out and ask to help in any way possible was enough to get the Hoenn professor to try and hunt down her Trainer record.

Birch shook his head quietly as he went through the records they had managed to sneak away from Cyrus' grip. It wasn't much, but it had been enough to help identify the first few kids who had come into their hiding place. Unfortunately, they didn't have Khrista's, but they did have her cousin's. And Joshua had run into her enough times that Birch could gauge her strengths, as well as figure out what specific realms the girl had visited over the years.

When they had first interacted, Joshua had been in the Kanto segment of his journey, having started off in Hoenn and gone off to help quell a sudden uprising of Team Rocket trouble. After the team members had scattered, the boy had done what most otherworlders did at one point or another -- trade their Pokemon to themselves in some sort of roundabout way that the Professors had never really bothered to try and understand. During that time, Joshua had traded with Khrista -- a Charmander for a Mudkip, which made sense because Joshua had't had any data on the Hoenn Water Starter before then. The next day, the two of them had a Double Battle, with Joshua using a Alakazam/Gengar combination he had managed to perfect -- Alak and Gangrene, no doubt. Joshua ended up coming out victorious, despite his Charizard almost fainting to Raichu.

Later on, when the boy had continued to Sinnoh, the same sort of thing took place, but with a Chimchar being traded for a Piplup, and the match ending in a tie when Blaze -- Khrista's Blaziken -- fainted from a Flare Blitz recoil, and Cedar -- Joshua's Sceptile -- fell to a burn. Then, in Unova, it had been a Tepig for a Snivy, and five battles -- one per a team from the specific regions they had visited, Unova being first, and Hoenn last. Both Trainers had been experienced enough to win two of the first four battle each, with Joshua coming out on top in the Hoenn match. And then there were the records of the two teens helping out each other as Rangers and leaders of their own Exploration teams, but those recordings were less detailed.

"These kids must have nothing else to do," The Professor muttered in amazement. "No one can do this much in six years."

"Hey, Professor!"

The Hoenn Professor turned his head, catching sight of Cedar and Raze -- Joshua's Blazikan -- standing in the lab's entrance.

"What is it?" Birch asked, glancing at the two Hoenn Starters.

"Khrista found Jirachi," the Sceptile replied.

Birch jumped up in surprise, almost knocking the box of files off his desk. "What?! Is he all right?"

"The little guy's fine," Raze responded calmly. "They didn't have Ash do anything to him." The Blaziken smirked. "He brought company, too -- a whole squadron of Psychic-Types."

Birch's surprised look became one of eagerness. "Khrista is doing her job well," he noted. "How is Delia doing?"

"Working non-stop," Cedar answered. "For a woman who's been staying in her house for who knows how long, she can move pretty quickly. It's like she's been drinking Carbos smoothies or something."

Blaze grinned. "I wouldn't put it past her," he agreed. "Come on -- I think Flint wanted our help in getting those cannons ready."

As Cedar and Raze left, Birch put the box of files back in the secret compartment behind one of the cabinets, sliding it back into place after the Pokemon were long gone. After sending a quick glance around the room to make sure that everything was in place, the professor left the lab and made his way over to the Square, where the other professors and four Trainers were discussing The Plan, and making sure that nothing had been left out.

"There you are, Dad!" Brendan exclaimed, waving from his position at the table, which was between May and Ruby. "We were wondering when you'd get out here."

"What took you so long?" Sapphire asked, looking down from her Tropius.

"I was just looking a few things over," the professor responded. "Is everything going according to plan so far?"

"There have been a few minor problems," Oak admitted. "When Green took Jirachi to where Tate and Liza were working with their Pokemon, they almost dropped a cannon they were trying to move into place. Sabrina just happened to be there, and managed to pick up the slack with her Alakazam."

"The Psychic Gym Leaders are working with Jirachi now to round up a few Legendaries to supplement the first wave," May added. "Last I saw of them, they were looking for Chaos."

"The Pokemon are getting antsy, as well," Ruby continued. "A lot of them want to go up there now, whole the others are willing to wait until the last minute to head up there."

"And then there's Cackle," a Swampert behind Norman's son stated grumpily. "That Haunter really should be put on a leash and kept near Sabrina 24/7. Or, better yet, in his PokeBall."

"He's a Haunter, Zuzu," Sapphire reminded the Pokemon. "They're known for their tricks, remember? Besides -- it's the only reason that Sabrina really kept him around at first. Be glad Ash got him for her to get her out of her funk."

"And we are," Oak responded. "Now, as for the report Green gave us concerning Khrista, it seems that Joshua has found some allies within the tower."

Rowan frowned. "Allies?" he repeated. "I find that highly doubtful."

Oak handed Rowan a sheet covered in writing. "See for yourself." While the Sinnoh professor was looking the paper over, Oak continued, "Apparently, the communicator Green designed also picks up on psychic waves, or telepathy. Khrista had a conversation with Darkrai, revealing that not only is the Legendary's work actually affecting the rest of the tower in a roundabout way, but it has also allowed me specific group to break away. Team Aqua, to be precise."

"WHAT?!" Sapphire exclaimed. "That can't be right -- we made sure that they were disbanded after the otherworlders had caught those versions of the Legendaries."

"Team Rocket came back," Elm pointed out. "I wouldn't out it past any other team if they did."

Birch frowned. "Well, if they're back, then Magma has to be somewhere in the tower, as well. And then there's the Rocket and Plasma goons they might have picked up."

"And the children," Juniper added. "Depending on who Cyrus brought through, we could be in deep trouble."

Birch nodded in agreement. "Right. How's the progress coming along? Will we be prepared to attack on time?"

"More like ahead of time," Brendan responded. "If we keep working in day and night shifts like this, we should be able to get everything ready soon enough -- a day from now, at least; on time at most."

"The Pokemon are helping a lot more than you'd think possible," May added. "The Legendaries, especially."

"You wouldn't believe how many Pokemon those Exploration Teams have!" Sapphire continued. "They only sent out half of their teams to stock up and had the rest help out back here. For the most part, they've been handing out items to help strengthen Pokemon abilities and moves. They've probably got at least fifty of each item, maybe even more stored under lock and key somewhere."

"The Exploration Pokemon have even been handing out evolutionary items for those who want them," Ruby stated. "Luminous Spring is also officially open to those who can't evolve otherwise, whether or not they're on a Team."

"We're taking this extremely seriously," Zuzu clarified. "This could be the one chance we have of taking Cyrus out. No one is leaving _anything_ up to chance."

"No one should."

The group's heads turned, catching sight of Red, Pika, and Mrs. Ketchum as they approached.

"The cannons are in position," Pika reported from Red's shoulder. "We just finished moving the last one."

"And Luminous Spring is practically overflowing, what with all the Pokemon who are trying to gain access to it," Red added. "A Thunderstone almost affected Pika on our way over." The Pikachu on the Champion's shoulder let out a shudder. "So, I saw Jirachi appear out of nowhere. Where have you guys been hiding him?"

"Actually, Khrista just rescued him from up there," Ruby explained, pointing upwards. "He and a whole lot of Psychic-Types that Ho-Oh sent over when they appeared in his mountains."

Mrs. K looked surprised. "She managed to do that?"

Birch nodded. "That, and it seems as though Team Aqua is on our side."

"The Kyogre lovers?" Red asked. "I don't suppose those Groudon swooners are up there, too."

"It's a possibility," Birch admitted, a sly smile coming across his face at the names Red had given the Hoenn organizations. "The two leaders are actually brothers."

"Seriously?" Sapphire gave her father a curious look. "Since when?"

"I think I heard about that," Mrs. K remarked. "Hasn't it been said that they had some sort of argument over which Type was better when Archie turned ten?"

Birch nodded. "There was another Professor who had been running my lab in Littleroot at the time, but I remember when those two had come into town to get their Pokemon. Maxie had turned ten a few years before, but had opted to wait until Archie was ten so they could get their Pokemon together. I had been the professor's assistant at the time, so I had already gone through a journey of at least some sort -- I had decided against joining the League, knowing my path already.

"Archie wanted one of the Mudkip that we were keeping nearby, but Maxie wanted the both of them to have Torchic. It was obvious that the two of them had talked about this for some time, because Archie instantly burst out with "For the last time, I said that I wanted a Water-Type!" Then they started fighting, right in the middle of the lab. I had to have my Sceptile and Swampert step in to pry them apart. The Professor decided to have them settle it in a battle. You can probably guess who won."

"Archie," Red stated.

Birch nodded. "Maxie was absolutely furious. He vowed that he would try to beat his brother at everything, including their wishes to find the Legendary Pokemon first."

Ruby snorted. "Well, he certainly did. But we took care of that, right, Saph?"

"Right," Sapphire agreed. "Did you ever run into them again, Dad?"

Birch shook his head. "I didn't really see them after that, but I heard about them on TV -- Archie and Maxie ran into each other in the League, a few years after the fiasco in the lab. Neither of them had reached the final round, but they were pretty close. They tied up to the point of their final Pokemon, which happened to be that Sharpedo and Camerupt they used after their Swampert and Blaziken were returned to the lab. Most of the Water and Fire Starters we handed out during the Aqua/Magma crisis were actually their kids, in fact."

Zuzu's eyes widened. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"You were actually one of the few who weren't, Zuzu," Birch assured the Pokemon.

The Swampert let out a sigh of relief.

"Khrista's Swampert, on the other hand...."

"What do you mean, 'on the other hand'?" Swamp asked as he approached from the direction of the Deep Coronet Tunnel.

"It's nothing," Birch stated quickly. "Khrista's inside, and Joshua has found allies in the remnants of Team Aqua. All we can really do now is hope that they manage to take out the outer defenses and give us the opening we need by causing general chaos."

Swamp's eyes widened. "No way. Archie's actually working with us?"

"In a roundabout way, yes."

The Pokemon smirked. "Man, Marsh is not going to believe this. I'd better go find her!" Swamp turned and lumbered off.

"Marsh?" Brendan repeated, blinking in confusion.

"Joshua's Swampert," May explained. "Khrista gave her to him as a combined birthday gift from her and Swamp, who had been more than eager to get the Trainer something special. Joshua had given her a Charmander in exchange, not realizing that Swamp's daughter had managed to contract Pokerus and suddenly changed color to accommodate for it." The Coordinator smirked. "She turned purple."

"A purple Swampert?" Red blinked in surprise. "That's a bit...odd."

"At least she didn't turn black, like some Rayquazas I've heard about," Sapphire remarked. "Wasn't there one in ancient times, owned by some king?"

Birch shrugged. "Perhaps." He looked over at the other professors. "I'm going to turn in for the night. If anyone needs any help with anything, you can come right on up and wake me."

Brendan grinned. "You got it, Dad. Come on, guys -- we'd better let everyone else know to pick up the pace -- the only time Dad sleeps is when he wants something done in the morning." He turned and dashed off, the others in pursuit.

Mrs. K smiled at Oak. "Looks like we're in for another adventure."

"Indeed," the Kanto Professor replied. "It feels good to be able to actually participate in something like this again. I haven't felt this energized since...well, since I don't know when!"

The two adults laughed at the Professor's statement.

"Well, we'd better get going," Mrs. K stated, turning her attention to Red. "I've got a feast in mind for this occasion!"

The Kanto Trainer's red eyes brightened, and the Pikachu on his shoulder looked eager and excited at the idea.

"I could help, if you want," Red offered, grinning.

Mrs. K gave her eldest son a knowing look that bordered an annoyed, but then offered a smile of her own and grabbed his arm. "Come on. And I expect you two to _actually_ help, not just snack on my cooking."

Red let out a laugh in response to the jest as he and his mother walked off. It seemed that some things never changed.


	45. Dreamscape, Magma Style

Khrista smiled to herself as she looked around the dreamscape, but it quickly turned to a frown.

"What is this?" she demanded, looking around at the volcanoes and red, clouded sky above a rocky, burning desert. Khrista had already shifted to Fire-Type to avoid the heat, but it was still unbearable.

She turned and caught sight of a familiar woman in a gray jacket standing nearby. "Arsenal! Why am I here?"

The blond-haired woman looked a little uneasy, but she didn't lose her composure. "This isn't my doing, Khrista. You know what you need for the Fire-Types. Something else is at work here."

_"Indeed."_

The two stiffened upon hearing the voice and almost moved back-to-back in order to see who was there without lowering their defenses.

 _"You need not be alarmed,"_ said the voice. A shadow appeared on the rocky ground and a figure rose up from it.

Khrista blinked in surprise. "Darkrai?"

Arsenal's crystal blue eyes narrowed. "The Nightmare King. What is your business here?"

 _"The title of 'king' is not mine to hold, Arsenal,"_ Darkrai stated, bowing his head. _"And it is not so much my business here as it is that you must do something for me."_ A black arm swept over the landscape. _"This place belongs to a leader of an environmental terrorist group -- one of the two that has existed on this world. Avatar, you may be able to guess which one it is."_

Khrista blinked as the Legendary looked at her. Looking around, she frowned in thought for a moment.

"...It's a Magma guy, isn't it?" she finally asked.

_"Correct. Maxie has been living in a major dream for the entire time that Cyrus has been in control; that is how he is being controlled. The Red Chain, although not completely visible, has its tentacles over almost everyone in this building, excluding you, me, and whatever Pokemon and humans have managed to be freed, break away, or remain free during the duration of Cyrus' reign. Maxie has been living here ever since he fell asleep the night Cyrus managed to return from the Distortion World and summon Dialga and Palkia, bringing along the Lake Spirits and Ash for the ride."_

"Maxie?" Khrista's eyes widened as she looked around again. "This is _his_ dream?"

"What do you want us to do here?" Arsenal asked, looking like she was attempting to keep a level head of the situation and barely managing to do so.

The Legendary turned to face Khrista. _"I want you to try and free him."_

"Me?" Khrista repeated. "Free the leader of Team Magma?"

_"You rescued Terrus, one of his grunts, when you used that attack in your cousin's cell. You can certainly rescue him."_

"But, why him? Why not start with another one of his grunts and work my way up?"

 _"Because we don't have enough time. Trust me, when the leader of one organization is broken free, the rest follow. That's how I managed to get Aqua out of their mess, and how you are going to get Magma out of theirs. Now, find him, before the night runs out on us!"_ With that, Darkrai vanished.

Khrista frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, isn't that just great. Now, where am I to find Maxie...." Her eyes scanned the world, pausing at each volcano. "Is this the world Maxie imagined? The place where land dominates the world? If it is, I don't want a part of it."

"If this is what _he_ sees of this place, I would hate to see what...others have in mind," Arsenal muttered.

Khrista gave the woman a curious look when she heard Arsenal hesitate, but she said nothing.

"This is certainly unexpected."

The blond woman and brown-haired teen turned quickly, catching sight of what appeared to be an old man with receding red hair, wearing a rather regal-looking set of robes with the Magma symbol on it. On one side of him stood a Camerupt, and on the other stood a Blaziken, which Khrista found rather surprising.

"What are you doing out here?" Maxie demanded in a cold voice. "This section of the world has been deemed off-limits to those who --"

Khrista gained an annoyed expression. "Look, old man, we're here to help you out of this mess. It _doesn't exist_ , and we're going to tell you why to help you come to your senses.

The statement seemed to sting -- which was good, in Khrista's opinion. "How dare you say that! Blazikan! Camerupt! Take care of this pest."

The two Pokemon charged at the two invaders, who quickly jumped to either side of the attack. Knrista shifted Flying-Type, her shirt changing to sky blue, so that the teen could fly up to avoid any further attacks from the ground.

Instantly, the heat from the volcanoes around her hit Khrista like a brick wall, causing her to slam to the ground, switching to Fire mode automatically.

"O.K.," Khrista muttered. "Looks like I can't be doing anything like that." She rolled quickly to one side to avoid the Camerupt, then scooted backward quickly in order to avoid the Blazikan. "So, how am I going to do this...?"

"Keep dodging for now!" Arsenal called back. "I'll see if there's anything I can do to--"

"What did you just try to do?" Maxie interrupted, turning his attention to Khrista and fixing her with a glare.

"You mean you don't know?" Khrista let out a grunt as she got up from the hot ground. "I'm the kid who managed to escape from Cyrus' tower; I came back in order to free everyone else. Including you."

"Cyrus? That Galactic idiot?" Maxie let out a short laugh. "You amuse me. White stopped him on Mt. Coronet, when he disappeared."

Khrista gave him an odd look. "You think that's amusing? Let me ask you, then --how did you get here? What do you remember taking place before you ended up here?"

The Team Magma leader frowned. "What does that matter?"

"Well, I'm sure that you had a few Magma grunts guarding your sleeping place. Where are they in this world, huh? And what about Groudon? I'm pretty sure that Ground-Type Legendary would be wandering around somewhere -- maybe lording it over Kyogre's skeleton? Where are they?" The teen crossed her arms over her chest, watching Maxie as he thought these statements over, his two Pokemon standing in front of him protectively.

Arsenal stopped moving, looking between the two humans as the two Fire-Types stopped attempting to attack and looked back at Maxie with curiosity.

"...I don't know," Maxie stated finally. "I remember getting into bed in my home at Fallarbor, then.... I'm drawing a blank."

"The night you went to bed, Cyrus came back from his banishment in the Distortion World and summoned Dialga and Palkia, getting the Lake Sprits' attention, causing them to summon Ash to Spear Pillar in order to stop what was taking place." Khrista gave him a dubious look. "Try and guess what happened."

The Magma Leader's eyes widened. "No...that can't be possible."

"It trapped you in this dream realm, and you've been sleep-walking and following his orders ever since. I haven't seen you in person yet, but I did run into one of your grunts -- Terrus, I believe it was? It looked like he had been hit with a Hypnosis spell and hadn't been freed in _years_. Doesn't sound very fun, in my opinion." Khrista watched Maxie as he looked around his version of a "perfect world," doubt starting to appear on his face. The two Pokemon beside him started to flicker in and out of existence, almost as if trying to confirm that this place wasn't real.

"If this is all a dream, how did you get here?" Maxie finally asked.

"We were summoned here to assist you in breaking free," Arsenal stated, walking over to stand next to Khrista. She was sweating, but she didn't show any other outward signs of discomfort from the heat.

"I'm one of the kids who got dragged from that other world; most of them were put under Cyrus' control, much like you." Khrista smirked. "And then there are the kids who managed to slip away to a rebel base, and my cousin and his friend, who are trapped within the tower. We're planning on causing great amounts of chaos and taking out Cyrus, but we're going to need everyone's help in this, including yours and Archie's."

Maxie bristled at the mentioning of the leader of Team Aqua, but seemingly kept his anger to a minimum, not noticing that his Pokemon had started to flicker in and out of existence. "What is your name, child?"

Khrista opened her mouth and was about to answer, but Arsenal placed a hand over the teen's mouth.

"I don't believe we need to disclose that information at this time," the blond-haired woman stated grimly. "According to what we have heard, names have the power to pull one under the control of the Galactics. If you are still under their control when they awaken, my ally will be in danger."

"But we will still help you get out of this mess," Khrista added quickly, pulling Arsenal's hand from her face. She held out a hand as Arsenal dropped her limb back by her side. "So, what do you say? Will you fight your way out of this dream realm and start chaos in your own way?"

Maxie looked at the teen, a slightly bemused look on his face. Upon noticing that his Pokemon bodyguards had completely vanished, however, he nodded and took Khrista's hand in a firm grip. "That boy should not be messing with the balance of things; I know that now. The world was fine the way it was."

The volcanoes around them started to rumble loudly, as if signifying that something big was coming.

"Go!" Maxie ordered his visitors. "This is something that I must combat alone."

"What is?" the teen asked confused.

"The one thing that has been avoiding me since I had arrived here...the one thing that would have made this place a reality...."

Groudon burst out of the ground in front of them, throwing boulders and lava every which way with his massive, red form. None of the debris hit the humans, but they got pretty close in Khrista's opinion.

Khrista's eyes widened upon catching sight of the Pokemon. "No way am I leaving you to fight this monster alone!" She narrowed her eyes in concentration, and her shirt's red shade began to swirl with another color, coming out with a red-and-light-blue spiral. "Ice Beam!"

For all the heat there was in the air, it didn't affect the move for one reason or another, even when it managed to hit Groudon's stomach.

Maxie gave Khrista a look of surprise, but it turned to one of determination. "No! You can't help. If I am to get out of this dream realm, I can't have you assisting me."

"Why not?" Khrista asked in response.

"I could end up under your control, and not free at all! Now go! I can take care of this pest." Maxie waved his hand, and Khrista was suddenly thrown back by an unseen force, her vision blacking out.

When her vision cleared, Khrista found herself standing next to Lake Verity, with Darkrai and Arsenal standing nearby.

"What just happened?" Khrista asked, looking around on confusion.

 _"Maxie forced you out of his dream realm,"_ Darkrai responded. _"I agree with his statements; he has to fight Groudon alone."_

The teen let out a sigh. "Okay. But did I do all right?"

_"For an inexperienced child who knows next to nothing about dreams? Yes, I believe you did. Maxie knows the truth, and that's what counts. When morning comes, he should be freed from the Chain's grasp, and his team should soon follow. You did well."_

Khrista smiled with relief. "Good." She glanced down at her shirt, frowning at the swirl she found there. "That hasn't happened before."

 _"Perhaps it was developed out of a need,"_ Darkrai suggested. _"The heat of the dream realm, combined with your want to use the Ice-Type form, most likely created the Dual-Type form you are now in."_

"Let's see if I can get out of it," Khrista muttered in response. She glared down at her shirt, gripping the fabric hem at the bottom tightly. For a moment, nothing happened, but the swirl slowly unwound itself, the light blue shade vanishing before the shirt dulled and the yellow Master Ball appeared. "There we go." She looked back at Darkrai. "Is there anything else you want me to do tonight?"

The Dark-Type shook his head. _"Maxie was my target for tonight. Make sure that you get that new ability of yours under some sort of minor control when the plan starts. As for your next target...trust in Nick's directions. The Aqua grunt knows what he's doing and where he's going -- despite not being under their control, he knows this tower pretty well."_

Khrista nodded, but then frowned slightly. "Do you think that I have to keep my name secret until this thing is over? I'd kind of like it if Joshua and the Underground Trainers weren't the only ones who knew."

 _"That is up to you. Aqua members have their ties completely cut off from the Red Chain's power; they are aware of what is happening, and can put their own spin on it."_ Darkrai glanced about. _"Dawn is almost here; I should return to giving Cyrus his living nightmares, lest everything we are working towards be for naught. Keep your wits about you."_

With that, the Dark-Type vanished.

Khrista let out a sigh. "Great. To tell them who I am or not to -- that is the question...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dual-Typing for Khrista is clearly possible, but she can't do more Types than that except under...certain, special circumstances, and those don't come around very often.


	46. Infiltration Day 2

**Nick's POV, 3rd**

When Nick woke up the next morning, he hadn't expected to see the female Raichu sitting on his chest, looking at him suspiciously.

"The grunt's up!" the Electric-Type called to her Trainer, who was standing off to one side and talking with Shelly.

The teen turned to look in her direction. "About time. Now, get off his chest before he knocks you off."

The Pokemon complied, glaring at Nick as he got out of his bunk, careful not to hit the bed above him with his head, thus disturbing the sleeping form above. "Why are you up so early?"

"I need to get moving in order to take out the outer defense system," the teen explained, "and I'm getting the feeling that you might know the general location of the control system for that."

Nick frowned. "Outer defense system?" he repeated. "I only know my way around the Pokemon storage facilities...."

"There's a possibility that the Electric-Types are powering the system," the Zoroark explained from where he and the other Pokemon stood behind the teen. "If you can lead us there, we can take care of the rest."

Understanding came across Nick's features. "Oh. And you want to go there _now_?"

"That's pretty much the idea," the girl confirmed.

Nick took off his bandanna and and ran a hand through his black hair. "I don't think we should go right away," he remarked. "Your little fiasco with the Psychic-Types yesterday has everybody on edge. The Aqua members who were out doing their shifts were pretty antsy when they came in."

"Well, we're going to have to move fast. The attack's going to get here by tomorrow at the earliest." The girl looked over at the female Raichu, who's glare had now moved to Shelly. "You really ought to relax, Raichu. They're on our side, not Cyrus'."

Raichu looked at her Trainer sharply. "What makes you say that?"

"Darkrai told me they'd broken away completely," the teen stated calmly. "Try to put the past behind you for a bit."

The Electric-Type snorted. "Yeah. Sure; like it's that easy."

"So, you're the friend of that boy."

The group turned to look as Archie approached from the warp panel.

The girl smirked. "Yup! I got back late last night."

"So I heard. The Rocket grunts are in a panic from your antics." Archie looked over at Shelly. "Jirachi's disappearance seems to have everyone on edge."

"That's just because the Psychic sensor's down," the teen stated carelessly, ignoring the look the two were exchanging. "I'm planning on going after the outer defense system next, but Nick's hesitant to take me to where the Electric-Types are being kept. Like I told him, we don't have much time before the attack starts."

"How long, then?" the Aqua leader inquired.

"Tomorrow at the soonest, two days at the latest. I won't know until I send a progress report down there." The girl shrugged. "Point is, we don't have much time." She sent a quick glance at the Pikachu with a scarf that was perched on her backpack. "Plus, I bring news from the dream realm."

Shelly frowned. "Dream realm?" she repeated.

"Darkrai got me into another person's dream last night," the girl explained. "He asked me to try and free them from their dreamscape, so that they could gain control of themselves and start freeing others."

"Well, it certainly couldn't have been Spiky," Shelly remarked. "Otherwise we wouldn't still be in this mess."

The teen shook her head. "No; it was the leader of the other Hoenn organization. I got Maxie to slip out last night."

Archie's eyes widened. "You freed my brother?"

The teen nodded, not seeming to take notice of certain words in the question. "Darkrai said that if he could be rescued, then the rest of Team Magma would wake up faster than if I went to each of them one at a time." She frowned. "Although, I was a little surprised to see that there was a Blazikan in his dreamscape...."

"It was his first Pokemon," Archie responded. "Just as Swampert was mine."

The girl's eyes widened. "Seriously? I hadn't known that. I wonder if mine is related to yours."

The Aqua leader shrugged nonchalantly. "It's possible -- I sent her back as soon as Sharpedo was strong enough to hold his own, long before I had assembled my team."

The teen frowned. "So that means my Swampert could be the son of your Swampert?"

"It's possible."

The girl smirked. "Oh, man. I don't know how Swamp is going to react when he hears about this!"

Shelly frowned. "Swamp?" she repeated. "That sounds familiar...."

The girl blinked her blue eyes in confusion. "It does?"

"Yeah...I think that was what White called her...." Shelly gave the teen a weird look. " _You're_ not White, are you?"

The girl snorted. "No way. I haven't been here. Swamp must be a common name, maybe." Despite the determined look on her face, the girl sounded...strangely unsure of herself. A moment later, she shook her head. "No. My name...." She looked up at Shelly with a more determined look in her eye. "It's Khrista."

There was a strange silence in the room when the girl -- Khrista -- had spoken her name. Nick couldn't believe his ears, that was for certain.

"Khrista?" Archie repeated, rolling the name around in his mouth. "Such a strange name for an Avatar."

Khrista gave the leader of Team Aqua an odd look, then shook her head and turned her gaze to look at Nick. "That's besides the point. Can you help us take care of the defense system or not?"

The two Raichu and Linoone gathered around Khrista protectively, looking around and daring anyone who would to come near to their Trainer.

Nick thought for a moment, a slightly nervous look coming across his face. It vanished rather quickly, however, and he put his bandanna back on, a determined look on his face. "Let's go."


	47. Dreamscape: After-Effects

Cyrus awoke that morning feeling like he had been tossed into a volcano.

The night had started out nicely enough -- no thunderstorms; no deep, endless pits lined with hungry Seviper.

And then came the heat.

It hasn't been much, at first -- almost unnoticeable, not really anything to worry about. Then it began to increase in strength, annoying the Galactic leader to no end. When it started to become unbearable, Cyrus began to search for the source -- which was hard, considering that his dreamscape was the maze that is Spear Pillar.

It seemed to take hours before he finally managed to locate the source: a volcano located in the center of the ruins, spewing out its gases into the already dark sky above. The Galactic leader didn't know when it got there, or how -- but he did want it off his mountain.

Unfortunately, the volcano didn't leave. The heat slowly became stronger instead, as the lava began to leave in sudden spurts from the "spring" that had formed there.

Cyrus had swallowed down an upwelling of fear when the lava spring had begun to shake and increase in outtake. Slowly, a single claw of glowing red began to emerge, taking hold of the opening's edge. The Galactic leader had backed up slowly as what was attached to the claw followed it out, eyes widening when he had realized that the monster was the Pokemon Groudon.

Cyrus had steeled his nerves in an attempt to stand his ground and force the dream figment to disappear, but that hadn't worked. Instead, the Pokemon had suddenly increased in size, the heat reaching unimaginable heights. The Ground-Type had then begun to lumber towards Cyrus, its intent clear on its face.

The Galactic leader had been startled out of his dreamscape the moment the Legendary's claws had hit him in the side, sending him careening through the air towards an especially large pillar.

Cyrus, sitting in his bed, started to wonder if actually creating a world in his image had been a good idea....


	48. Electric Release

Khrista looked around the hall, taking note of the muted murmuring voices, their sources out of sight. "So, is this where they keep the Electric-Types?" She motioned to the doors running along the wall, each one with a lightning bold carved onto its surface.

Upon seeing Nick nod, she asked, "Why separate from all the other Types?"

"They like to have the power sources for everything as close together and under as tight a security system as possible," Azumaril explained. "Honestly, I think it would make better sense if they put the generators in different corners of this floor -- the tower, even. The intruders wouldn't be able to get to them all at once that way."

Khrista smirked. "You know, that actually doesn't sound like a bad idea." She then frowned. "But then the warp panels probably wouldn't work, and the door that open with pass codes and keycards wouldn't exactly work, either."

Zorro nodded. "We'll have to choose carefully, if we're going to take any one of these out."

Pika's ears perked up as the group made its way cautiously through the corridor. He looked around for a moment, then jumped to the floor and paused there, his ears twitching.

"There's another strong Pikachu around here somewhere," Pika stated, looking around. "I can't quite place where he is, though...."

Khrista's eyes widened. "A strong Pikachu, huh? Could it be...." She trailed off as her shirt went from red to yellow, in an attempt to try and locate the Pokemon. "If anything, the Pikachu's either the Pokemon of a strong Trainer from my world, or it's... _someone_ else's." She looked over at Pika, who seemed to take the hint.

"It's a possibility," he admitted. Pika looked around, his ears swiveling in order to detect the electricity of that particular Pokemon. "Do you see the electric build-up over in that direction?" He pointed towards a door marked with a "DO NOT ENTER" sign in bright red letters.

Khrista frowned, then closed her eyes and concentrated. Eventually, she saw a bright yellow light coming from somewhere beyond the door.

"Wow. That's a lot of energy." She opened her eyes and look down at Pika. "There's obviously some strong Pokemon over there. Let's check it out." The teen's eyes went to Nick. "Think it would be all right if we took this one out?"

Nick and Azumaril exchanged a glance, then nodded.

"They keep the really strong Pokemon in there," the Aqua member explained. "Sometimes, though, they take them out to make sure that the other generators are giving out enough energy."

Khrista nodded. "Makes sense." She looked over at Zorro. "You want to do the honors? Or do I have to figure out a way to get everybody through in my intangible ghost form?"

Zorro shook his head. "Relax. I got this." He moved over to the door and inspected it. After a moment, he backed up a little, then yowled, "Shadow Claw!"

The Dark-Type's claws slashed the steel door's locking mechanism, the marks that had been left behind glowing with some sort of dark power. The door then swung open on oiled hinges, revealing a strangely dark room, eerily lit by many glowing, yellow opaque capsules.

Khrista stepped into the room cautiously, her shirt switching back to normal now that she could see the light without need of her Electric abilities. The teen's eyes scanned the room quickly, stopping when she looked up at the ceiling. "Pika, I don't think you want to come in here."

The Electric-Type looked up in the direction the Trainer was staring, his eyes widening. "Mother of Zapdos," he murmured.

The entire ceiling was covered with Ground-Types.

"They won't attack unless you do something dangerous to the generator," Nick explained to Khrista from the doorway.

The teen let out a growl of annoyance. "Great. Looks like I'll have to take them out, first." Her shirt turned a deep blue, and she threw a sphere of water up at one of the Pokemon -- a Sandslash. "Water Pulse!"

The Pokemon she was targeting let out a yell of surprise as the attack hit his spines, shuddering uncontrollably. He then started to lash out at its fellow Ground-Types as Khrista continued to fire Water Pulses. Eventually, chaos ensued up on the ceiling, some of the Pokemon that had been sitting up there collapsing to the ground, knocked out. As the stragglers continued to fight amongst themselves, Khrista's attention turned to the capsules.

"Do any of you know Iron Tail?" the teen yelled at the capsules, hoping that a Pokemon might have heard her.

"That won't work!" a faint voice called out. "There isn't enough room in this thing!"

"What will get you out, then?"

"Overload it!"

Khrista's eyes widened. "Okay, Pika. I need you to get in here. The rest of you, stay out unless you want to get electrocuted." She reached for her belt and released the other two Electric-Types in her possession as the Pikachu came over. "Okay, guys. We need to overload this thing with so much power it goes haywire. You up to it?"

"I certainly am!" called the voice from within the capsule. "Just say the word!"

The three Electric-Types that weren't trapped nodded to each other, determined looks on their faces.

"Where do you want us to hit?" Raichu asked.

"There's a large red thing on the generator. If you pull it off, it looks like there's a giant outlet underneath. Give that thing everything you've got!"

Khrista looked over at the generator and saw what the voice meant by red thing, which looked like seem sort of cap. Moving around the fainted Ground-Types, she reached out and tore off the cap, revealing the outlet. The teen nodded to the Electric-Types, her shirt changing to yellow.

"On my count," she stated. "Three.... Two.... One.... Now! Thunder!"

Four blasts of powerful electricity blasted towards the outlet, hitting it directly. The glowing capsules started to increase their output, as well, the power almost sparking off the cables as it flowed into the generator. Within a few minutes of the power going in, the mechanical device began to smoke, different parts of it sputtering and letting off sparks of their own.

"Almost there!" the voice from the capsule encouraged. "We gotta get it to explode!"

"Got it!" Khrista shouted back. She poured on the power, glaring at the outlet as the sparks and smoke increased. She let out a primeval shout as one last burst of energy slammed into the machine, completely dismantling it with a _bang._

Khrista halted the flow of electricity, letting out a sigh of exhaustion. "There we go. Let's hope that did it." She turned to look at the capsules, frowning upon seeing that they had stopped glowing. "You guys all right?"

One of the capsules cracked, then completely broke open like an egg, allowing the Pokemon inside to come out.

"We're fine," a Pachirisu stated, his voice cracking a little. "A little bit worse for the wear, but fine."

The other capsules began to break open, as well, releasing more Electric-Types as they slipped out of their cages.

"It's about time someone got us out of there," a Pokemon remarked. A solitary Pikachu forced his way through the crowd of Pokemon to stand in front of Khrista and her Electric-Type troop. "Those things are pretty cramped...." The Pikachu's eyes widened as he looked up at Khrista. "When did you get a different shirt?"

Khrista glanced down at her yellow attire, changing it back to the original shade and graphic. "I've always had this shirt," she responded, a little confused by the Pikachu's statement.

A moment later, the teen's eyes widened, and she realized who exactly she was talking to. She smirked. "Now this is going to be a big blow to the tower."

She looked back at Nick and Azumaril. "We gotta find these guys a hiding place before and Galactic grunts get down here and try to catch us."

Nick nodded in agreement as Khrista's two Electric-Types returned to their PokeBalls. "Right. Let's get these guys back to my place -- we can figure out what to do for there."

Azumaril frowned. "I dunno.... There might not be enough room."

"What do you suggest that we do, then?" Zorro demanded.

Khrista snapped her fingers. "I know!" She turned to look at the Electric-Types. "Who among you guys wants to get out of here?"

Most of the Electric-Types raised their paws or shouted in response.

Khrista nodded. "O.K., then." Her shirt changed to the Psychic-gold shade as she continued, "I can send you guys to a place that can heal your injuries and get you back to fighting condition. They're preparing for an attack on this place, and if everybody's up and ready to fight, there'll be more of a chance of us winning this."

The Pokemon in front of her looked at each other. After a moment, Ash's Pikachu stepped out of the crowd and crawled up onto Khrista's shoulder.

"I'm staying here," the Electric-Type stated. "Ash and I still converse, and he'll start to wonder if I'm not in the area."

Khrista nodded. "All right, then." As Pikachu leapt off and moved to stand beside Zorro and Pika, Khrista turned to look at the rest of the Electric-Types. "Anyone else want to stay?" When none of the Pokemon moved, the teen nodded. "Okay. Here goes! Teleport!"

She sent a blast of Psychic energy at the menagerie of Pokemon, which disappeared in a flash of light.

"Where did you send them?" Zorro asked.

"The main square, down there," Khrista responded. "I had a pretty clear picture of it in my head, so I sent them there." She shrugged. "We'd better get back before anyone finds us."

Nick nodded in agreement. "Let's move."

**Spacial Break**

Volkner and Lt. Surge sensed the change in electrical power almost instantly. Being Electric-Type Gym Leaders, they had spent time near and around electricity for a pretty good chunk of their lives, so they knew when something was going on.

This was especially the case when about fifty Electric-Types appeared in the Square for no particular reason. The two Trainers had instantly looked the Pokemon over, calling a Nurse Joy and Brock the Pokemon Doctor over for assistance.

"Where did all of these Pokemon come from?" Brock asked, blinking in surprise at the sight of the crowd. "They look like they've been through a lot."

"We escaped from the tower," a Pachirisu explained. "A girl with a multicolored shirt managed to Teleport us here."

The four humans looked at each other.

"Multicolored shirt?" Volkner repeated.

The electric squirrel nodded. "Her shirt went from yellow to red to gold."

The eyes of the Blissey that Joy had brought along widened in surprise. "That has to be Khrista!"

Joy looked over at the Normal-Type. "The girl that escaped from the tower?"

Blissey nodded. "I remember taking a round over in Mt. Coronet. The Trainer had been training with her Pokemon, and they had needed a recharge because they had used up their Power Points training her."

Brock looked surprised. "Really? She can use Pokemon moves?"

"You mean you haven't heard?" Joy turned to look at Brock, whose Toxicroak was watching him warily from a distance away. "The child somehow managed to pick up a Pokemon's abilities from her stay up there. The Professors sent her back in the hopes that she could deal some damage before they sent the Pokemon and Trainers up there to attack."

"Which is probably the reason these little guys ended up appearing down here," Lt. Surge mused. "She probably took out a generator or something."

A Pichu nodded. "That's right! She had these three other Electric-Types with her, too, and they somehow managed to take out the thing that was draining us of our energy."

Joy's face adopted a look of concern. "Poor things," she murmured. Turning to look at the Blissey, she stated, "I want you to go get the other Pokemon and assist me in getting these Pokemon into the infirmary as soon as possible."

The Normal-Type Pokemon nodded, then turned and dashed off towards the Pokemon Center, calling out for other Pokemon in the area.

Brock reached out and picked up the Pichu and the Pachirisu carefully, making sure that he didn't harm them any further than they already had been. "It'll be okay, guys," he stated. "You'll be in prime condition in no time."

"Will we be able to help take out the tower?" a Blitzle asked, leaning against Lt. Surge.

"If you let Joy do her work," the Kanto Gym Leader replied, "you _might_ be able to help out." He reached out and, with a carefulness that wasn't normally associated with the muscular man, lifted the Pokemon up and carried it off towards the Pokemon Center.

As the group was moving the Electric-Types into the Pokemon Center, Birch and Swamp were watching from a distance, Green working with her communication systems on a picnic table nearby.

"Do you think Khrista managed to move all those Pokemon?" Swamp asked, curious.

"Definitely," Green confirmed. She removed the headset she had been wearing. "I could hear everything through the earpiece I gave to Khrista. There was one Pokemon that didn't get Teleported down here, though -- Ash's Pikachu. I didn't really catch everything that he had said, but it sounds like he's been conversing with his Trainer through that dream-thing Sabrina told us about. If Pikachu suddenly disappeared from the tower, that would set his Trainer on edge."

"That makes sense," Birch admitted. "What a way to keep up the illusion of nothing going wrong."

"Something's going to give, though," Green warned. "A single generator failure isn't going to stop them completely, and we don't have too long before your scheduled attack. This definitely isn't going to be a walk in the park."

Swamp nodded in agreement. "We'll have to be careful when we slip in there." The Pokemon then turned its attention to Birch. "Raze told me that our parents had been acting up the past few days. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Birch frowned. "It could be that their original Trainers have been freed from Cyrus' grip," he suggested slowly.

Swamp blinked in confusion. "Raze's and my parents' Trainers are up there?"

Birch nodded. "I don't know if you ever learned, but you mother's first Trainer was Archie."

The Pokemon frowned. "My mother did mention that her Trainer had left her in favor of a Sharpedo as his strongest Pokemon, but I never thought that her Trainer was Archie. That was certainly...unexpected."

"I wasn't planning on telling you," Birch admitted, "but the simple fact that Khrista has managed to partner up with Archie changes things."

Swamp looked between Birch and Green, the Kanto Trainer nodding in confirmation. "I think I'll have to have a talk with my mother and her Trainer when all of this is over. There are things that we need to discuss."

"And you won't be the only one to do that," Green remarked. "I want to figure out more about the holographic avatar that all those kids used. I mean, all of us ran into those kids at one point or another, but only Tate and Liza actually managed to figure out how many kids actually interacted with us. Them, and a few of those in the evil organizations. And then there's the characteristics and the Pokemon that came through and were used...."

She drifted off, a thoughtful look crossing her face, but she was then startled out of her thoughts. "I'd better get moving! I promised that I'd help a couple kids train their Blastoise." Moving quickly, she gathered up her communications equipment and dashed off.

"I have a few things to take care of, as well," Swamp remarked. "I'll see you later, Professor." With that, the Water-Type walked off into the Fields.

As Birch waved to the Pokemon in temporary farewell, he thought, _Those kids had better make sure that the Tower is weakened. Who knows what will happen when we attack and they're well-defended?_


	49. Mentorship?

**Joshua's POV, 3rd**

Joshua was sitting in a corner of his cell, waiting for one of the Galactic members to come in and order him to do something. When a figure appeared above him and Zorro popped out of his PokeBall, he nearly jumped back in surprise.

"Well, that's no way to greet your cousin," Khrista remarked with a smirk before landing. "How've you been doing?"

"Well enough," Joshua replied. "And you?"

"Taking out generators, saving Pokemon." Khrista shrugged as her shirt changed to dull red. "What about you?"

"Waiting." Joshua shifted, then got to his feet. "What did you just do?"

Khrista's red backpack unzipped from the inside, and two Pikachu poked their heads out of the largest pocket.

"We took out a generator," Khrista explained. "The Psychic-Types are loose already, so I decided if I could do what else I could to release Pokemon."

Joshua's hazel eyes went over the two Pikachu and frowned. "Is that an Exploration Team Badge?" he asked. He'd caught sight of it before, but he wanted to make absolutely sure that that was an Exploration Pokemon Khrista had with her.

"It is," the Electric-Type wearing it replied. "I'm Pika, co-founder of the PokeExplore Guild with White."

Joshua was pretty sure that whatever Aqua member that happened to be listening in had just fallen out of their chair.

"You worked with White?" Joshua asked in surprise.

"Well, yes. She was turned into a Vulpix before Palkia turned her back so she could be a Trainer," Pika stated matter-of-factly.

The other Pikachu let out a whistle. "Nice. You got to know her best, then."

"And...you are?" Joshua asked, looking at the other Electric Mouse.

"Just Pikachu," the other replied.

" _Ash's_ Pikachu," Khrista added pointedly.

Joshua's eyes widened. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"Nope," Pikachu shot back, grinning. "Are you the friend of this Trainer who is helping the rebellion from the inside?"

"Yes, that's right. Where did she find you?"

"Destroying a generator." Pikachu slipped out of the backpack and onto Khrista's shoulder. "She somehow managed to send the other Pokemon out of the tower to some other place."

Khrista smirked and gave a nod, but smile soon faded, replaced by a serious look. "By Birch's standards, we don't have long before the attack. A day, at least. We're going to have to move fast if we're going to rescue everyone else before the others arrive."

"Rescue?" Pika repeated, frowning at the Trainer.

Khrista looked back at the Exploration Pokemon. "The Trainers that Cyrus kidnapped? They need to be brought to their senses." The teen motioned to Joshua. "If I can get him out of this cell, I might be able to get more of them freed than when it's just me."

Joshua shook her head. "We'd have to get me past the Galactics, but Charon's probably going to figure out that I'm gone either way."

Khrista frowned. "Yeah, you're right. That scientist's going to be a bit problematic. And then there's his grandson, Saturn."

Zorro's ears twitched. "Someone's coming," he warned. "We've got to go. Now."

Khrista shook her head. "I'm not leaving just yet." As her shirt switched from red to the Ghost-Type shade, she stated, "Stay close." With that, she vanished, Pika and Pikachu disappearing with her. Zorro, after giving a quick nod in farewell to Joshua, disappeared into his now-invisible PokeBall.

As soon as the red light from the sphere had faded, the steel door opened, revealing Charon and Butch.

Joshua watched the two as they entered, taking note that he hadn't caught so much as a glimpse of "the box" through the doorway behind them. He sensed that there was something about the scientist and the Rocket member that hadn't been there before -- some sort of uneasiness.

"What now?" Joshua asked, a bored tone in his voice.

Charon's look became one of nervousness. "It's been requested that you join the other children for the day."

Joshua frowned. "This is a joke, isn't it?" When Charon's and Butch's looks told him the opposite, however, the frown was replaced with a look of surprise. "All right, then." He got up from the ground as his bored look returned. "Let's go."

The hazel-eyed boy sensed that there was movement behind him, as well -- most likely Khrista, who was probably getting prepared to follow him.

"So, box or no box?" Joshua inquired.

"I think you can go without the box," Charon responded. He turned and walked out the door, Joshua following, and Butch bringing up the rear.

 _*Something's up*_ Blitzen noted grimly. _*It looks like they've been...spooked. Which, although I like the look on the mad scientist, I'd like to know_ why _*_

 _We already do._ Joshua's gaze scanned the wall to his left, watching as a slight ripple moved through the air before disappearing. _She took out a generator and made the Psychic-Types disappear._

_*One person doing that shouldn't cause them to become scared*_

_"No. Darkrai is involved. What he does to Cyrus affects those under his command -- he told me."_

Joshua stiffened upon hearing the new voice that had entered his head. A laugh quickly followed.

_"Relax, Josh -- it's me. I just figured out how to use telepathy, so I figured I'd be able to talk to you while we're on the move."_

Joshua forced his body to relax, but his mind was on the alert because of this new development. _You aren't presently a Psychic-Type, are you?_

_"No -- still a Ghost. Partly, at least. It's a trick I learned when I was helping Darkrai."_

_Helped Darkrai?_ The idea was so ludicrous, Joshua wasn't sure what to make of it.

_"Maxie was a tough nut to crack, so he asked me to free him. I think I was successful, but I can't be too sure until he exhibits some sort of change on this end."_

Joshua blinked in surprise. _The Magma leader?_ His eyes scanned the hall, leaving the point he's been staring at -- the back of Charon's head. _You actually got to speak with Maxie?_

_"A little, yes. He kicked me out so that he could concentrate on breaking free of Cyrus' grip. I still haven't figured out why he had a Blazikan in his dream realm, along with his Camerupt...."_

_A Blazikan, huh? Maybe he started a journey before he became what we know him for today. Archie probably did the same thing._

_"Heh. Swampert vs. Blazikan, then Sharpedo vs. Camerupt. I wonder where they are now."_

Joshua shrugged, catching sight of the ripple of space in the ceiling, signifying Khristams location. _Birch would probably know. We can ask him later. Right now, we have to worry about other things._

_"Right. Speaking of which...any idea as to how to rescue the other kids?"_

Joshua was about to answer when Charon opened a door ahead of them, revealing a room filled with human children and Pokemon alike, all being watched by Galactic members.

"Let's get you assigned to a group you can mentor, shall we?" Charon asked, a familiar, sinister grin gracing his features.

 _"Wait -- he wants you to mentor mind-controlled kids?"_ Joshua could clearly hear the excitement in his cousin's voice. _"This is a great advantage! We could start to free them right under their noses!...if we knew how."_

 _I have an idea,_ Joshua replied as he followed Charon through the crowded room. _Those Galactic goons...they seem to be carrying weaponry._

 _"Hmmm?"_ It took a moment for Khrista to apparently see what Joshua meant. _"They look like Voltorb launchers -- you know, the kind Surge use in that Japanese comic book."_

_Manga._

_"Whatever."_

The group stopped near a collection of Trainers and Pokemon with a Grass-Type theme, being watched over by a Magma grunt, who looked a little disoriented, yet aware of what was going on.

Khrista let out a chuckle. _"See that? The Magma grunt is breaking free. I'm going to have a look around and see if there's anyone else who looks the same way."_

 _Tell me where Silver is when you get back,_ Joshua told his cousin.

_"I'll see if he's here."_

"Children!" Charon called, getting the attention of the group, "This boy is going to be your new mentor. His name, unfortunately, is unknown to me. If any of you recognize him, please speak up."

Neither the Pokemon nor the Trainers said anything, to which Joshua mentally sighed with relief. If he was going to really be mentoring this group, then the fact that no one knew who he was happened to be a good thing.

Charon let out a sigh of annoyance. "Very well. Butch, make sure the child knows what he's supposed to do. I don't want any mistakes."

Butch nodded, the nervous look still on his face. "Got it, Boss."

As soon as Charon had left and was out of earshot, Butch gave Joshua a playful smile, which the teen answered with a curious look

"I helped your friend out," Butch whispered. "Jirachi's awakening and your friend's Hypnosis attack freed me."

Joshua blinked in surprise. Butch had been there when Khrista had rescued some of the Pokemon? And _Jirachi_ had been with them?

 _"Silver's in the center of the room, completely surrounded by Galactic goons,"_ Khrista reported suddenly. _"The others are separated into different groups according to the Types of the Pokemon they've been partnered up with."_ There was a chuckle. _"So, did Charon leave you in charge of this group?"_

 _That remains to be seen...._ Joshua looked over at Butch, who had been watching the teen expectantly. "What does Charon expect me to do, anyway?"

"Instruct the kids," the Rocket grunt responded with a shrug.

"Instruct them _how_? And what do these kids already know?"

"We basically drill the same thing into their heads -- what a Pokemon Battle is and how that involves Pokemon."

Joshua frowned. "You don't tell them how to feed and care for the Pokemon?"

Butch shrugged again. "We take care of that for them." He turned his gaze to the Trainers and Grass-Type Pokemon. "Show us what you know!"

As if Butch had found a power switch, the kids and Pokemon moved as one, separating into groups consisting of two Trainers and two Pokemon each. They then started to spar, the kids watching their charges as the creatures fought without any sort of order from the Trainer.

 _"Doesn't look like they have any sort of psychic connection,"_ Khrista noted. _"I guess it's just all automatic or something."_

"It looks like they've practiced enough with certain Trainers," Joshua remarked. "How about we try and mix it up a little?"

Butch frowned slightly. "What are you trying to get at?"

"Put them against a Pokemon they have a disadvantage against." Joshua looked around, catching sight of a specific group nearby. "Those Fire-Types, for instance." Looking back at Butch, he finished, "I want to see how they strategize."

Butch seemed intrigued, but also worried. "And you want to do this why?"

"I want to see how they do in a situation like that, and how they can deal with it," Joshua stated matter-of-factly. "If these kids are going to become anything more than what they are now, they need to be tested in all situations. They can't very well get ahead in life if they only fight Trainers with identical Pokemon of the same Type."

 _"Joshua, what do you think you're doing?!"_ Khrista demanded. _"This could be the death of you_ and _me!"_

 _I want to see how smart these Trainers are in this state,_ Joshua responded. _According to an Aqua grunt I ran into, they're pretty much machines._

_"Still, what you're doing might go too far. Be a little more careful."_

Butch, who had been thinking about Joshua's proposal, finally remarked, "You could get into deeper trouble than you already are, you know. To be uncontrollable is one thing -- to merge two groups of kids is another."

Joshua shrugged. "I know what I'm doing. Trust me."

Both the Rocket grunt and Khrista let out a sigh.

"I'm going to get it for this," Butch muttered under his breath.

After getting the group's attentions with a yell that didn't affect the rest of the room's activity, Butch somehow got them to move a little closer to the Fire group, catching the attention of that area's "mentor"...

...who happened to be a Torchic with a red star over his right eye.

**Change in POV -- Khrista's, 3rd**

Khrista looked over the little fire chick with the red star curiously, careful not to say anything aloud to alert anyone of her presence.

Taking notice of the recognition that sparked in Joshua's eyes, she asked, _"Which one of your friends is that?"_

 _Lucas,_ her cousin responded. _The Blazikan Trainer. He used to challenge me a lot to battles._

"What do you think you're doing?" Lucas asked snidely, glaring up at Joshua. Khrista didn't know that a Pokemon under Cyrus' control could have such a personality.

"I want to get the two groups together, and see how they react to a battle with two different Types involved," Joshua explained. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Wrong?" Lucas repeated. "You're practically breaking every rule there is! What kind of idiot are you?"

"This is his first time out," Butch responded for Joshua.

Pika, who had his head sticking out of Khrista's backpack (Pikachu being right beside him), let out a low growl. "That Torchic looks like it should be knocked down a peg," he muttered.

 _"Easy,"_ Khrista mentally responded, glad that she didn't have to speak aloud in order to converse. _"We don't want to blow our cover."_

"I know."

Lucas crossed his arms across his chest and snorted. "If you have the permission to do this. Then you should be able to beat me."

Joshua didn't seem to be thrown off by this. _So, his eagerness to battle remains unchanged.... Khrista, I'm going to need a Pokemon._

 _"Zorro?"_ Khrista asked, her hand moving towards the Zoroark's PokeBall.

_No -- I'm going to need a more common Pokemon. Out of all the Pokemon you brought along, which one did you see the most?"_

While Lucas stood there smirking through his beak, Khrista responded, _"I did see a lot of Pikachu, but throwing Pika out there would be majorly dangerous, since he's an Exploration Team Guildmaster Pokemon. And then there's Ash's Pikachu, but revealing him wouldn't be too good of an idea, either. The most common among the Normal-Types was Meowth, but I did see one or two Eevee, which kind of throws my Linoone out of the running."_

Neither teenager got the time to ponder, because Pika tore off his scarf, stuffed it in the backpack, and leapt out of Khrista's backpack and landed in front of Joshua on his four feet.

Butch blinked in confusion. "A Pikachu?"

Pika sent the Rocket grunt a look, then climbed up onto Joshua's left shoulder and whispered something in his ear, something Khrista didn't catch. When her cousin had nodded in response to whatever the Electric-Type had said, the Pokemon leapt off, landing in front of the boy, glaring at the Torchic.

"Too easy," Lucas declared with a wicked grin. He took in a breath and unleashed a strong stream of fire at Pika.

Joshua made a motion with his hand, and just as the Fire-Type let the move loose, Pika jumped to the side, and leapt into the air. A moment later, the Pikachu somersaulted into the Torchic as he released electric sparks from his body.

But these weren't just any electric sparks -- these were _blue_ electric sparks that caused a shockwave of electricity as soon as Pika hit Lucas.

Khrista's eyes widened in surprise. _"How--"_

 _I should think that it's because he's a Guildmaster,_ Joshua responded, not bothering to look up at his cousin. _Legendaries didn't use to have their own signature attacks like Fusion Bolt, you know._

Lucas seemed to be shocked, as well. "No normal Pikachu can do that!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing talon at Pika. "You've got to be using a Ditto!"

"On the contrary, Pokemon can sometimes pack that unexpected punch that you need," Joshua responded calmly.

Khrista could sense that there was something in his voice...something that seemed to speak of great experience in that field.

Lucas' eyes widened, and he stumbled backward, nearly collapsing onto s backside but catching himself just in time. A Magma grunt caught caught sight of this, and looked between Joshua and Lucas in confusion. Butch seemed to be at a loss for words, as well.

 _"What just happened?"_ Khrista asked, blinking in surprise. _"It looks like you just punched him in the stomach."_

 _I guess you could say that I did that,_ Joshua responded coolly. _My idea was that names, like Cyrus wanted to enslave, could also free those under his control._

_"Really? But, then what's that got to do with what you just said?"_

_Phrases spoken to certain people at important times might do the same thing._

Khrista's eyes widened. _"You don't mean to say that Lucas is...?"_

_Yeah, I do. I'm going to need you to get him out of here as fast as you can._

_"And what about you? You getting into trouble shouldn't be a part of the plan."_

_It isn't. And I won't. Now, get him out of here."_

Khrsita let out an audible sigh. _"All right."_ She floated away from where she had been (which happened to be behind and to the right of Joshua), and positioned herself in front of Lucas. With a dramatic flair, she appeared in a flash of light, a blank look on her face that also had a sense of intent within.

Almost instantly, the activity around them stopped, and voices that had been calling out commands were now dead silent.

Without bothering to look back at Joshua, Khrista felt Pika jump up and climb onto her shoulder, right before the teen grabbed Lucas, who had pretty much fainted with his eyes open.

"Don't bother looking for me," she muttered, her shirt turning from a purple-gray/gold swirl to pure gold.

With that, she Teleported out of sight.


	50. Not Much Longer

Lucas let out a groan, shaking his head as he came to. His vision, despite being blurry, revealed that he was staring at what looked like the bottom of a bunk bed. His eyes quickly moved to look at what seemed to be a figure, standing not very far away, surrounded by smaller figures.

Lucas promptly started to sit up in order to get a better look at the figure, only to become somewhat startled when he found that his arms were shorter than he remembered. That's when he caught sight of his taloned feet.

"What happened to me?!" Lucas yelped, jumping to his feet and turning so that he could get a better look at himself. "I'm a....I'm a Torchic!"

They boy's yelling caught the attention of the larger figure, and they came over quickly.

"Take it easy," the figure stated -- a teenage girl with brown hair and blue eyes. "You're not the only one who got turned into a Pokemon when you came over here. And besides, aren't you supposed to be a Blazikan Trainer or something?"

"H-huh?" Lucas looked up in confusion at the teenager. "Yeah. But how did you know?"

"A...a friend told me."

Lucas blinked. "Uh...ok?" He looked around, seeing nothing but bunkbeds, two RIchu, two Pikachu, a Linoone, and some sort of black and red wolf creature that had what looked like red clown make-up on its face -- he had never really been interested in the games beyond Sinnoh. "Where am I? And who are you?"

"I'm a friend," the girl replied calmly. "As for where we--" A frown came over her face. "Wait. Are you saying that you don't remember?"

"Remember what?" Lucas looked up at the girl directly. "The last thing I knew, I was falling asleep playing Diamond."

The girl's frown deepened, her blue eyes seeming to darken. "Weird." She shook her head. "You're in the Aqua barracks of Cyrus' citadel. And yes, I just said those two things together."

Lucas closed his beak, blinking in bewilderment. "How'd that happen?"

"It happened after Platinum's events. Cyrus came back and actually managed to take over." The brown-haired teenager looked grim. "He's been kidnapping kids from another world -- myself included -- so that he could find the one Trainer that took him down."

Lucas blinked. "Who was he looking for?"

"The Multi-Champion White."

The Torchic turned his head upon hearing the new voice, and he caught sight of an Aqua grunt with an Azumaril beside him.

The grunt, upon seeing the boy wide awake, grinned. "Well, well, looks like Sleeping Beauty is awake. Name's Nick, kid. Welcome to our own branch of the Underground."

Lucas frowned. "Underground?" he repeated.

"A resistance and rescue group," the girl explained. "See, most of the kids who were pulled through to this place somehow became mind-controlled, but there were a few who kept their free will." The girl smirked. "There's a resistance consisting of pretty powerful Trainers and the Professors, as well as the free kids; they've been looking for an opportunity to kick Cyrus off his self-made throne."

"And...you're one of these rebels?" Lucas guessed.

"Correct-a-mundo! My cousin's one of us, too."

Before Lucas could ask anything more, Nick spoke up, "There's a kid named Mist who's been trying to reach you for a while, now. You might want to answer her."

The girl stiffened in surprise. "Wha -- really?" She dug into her jeans pocket and pulled up a small device that she promptly switched with another device in her left ear. "I'm going to go find some secluded corner, then." The blue-eyed girl walked off, one hand to her ear.

"Just don't go poking your nose where it doesn't belong," Nick called after her. "The entire building's on edge after that stunt you pulled."

"Stunt?" Lucas repeated in confusion.

"We freed a bunch of Pokemon," the female Raichu spoke up. Lucas had almost forgotten that the group of Pokemon was there.

"She's a smart kid, but sometimes, I think she'll need to be reminded," Nick remarked.

"She seems...familiar somehow," Lucas muttered, frowning. He started to pace around the bed, his talons digging into the blankets as he tried to get used to his body.

Nick gave Lucas a curious look. "Familiar how?"

Lucas shrugged. "I'm not sure, but when she mentioned that she had a cousin, it kind of...rang a few bells, I guess."

Nick frowned. "You could have run into one of them before or something." He shrugged. "I don't know _where_ the Goonie managed to pick up the lot of you, but there's always something as soon as you get over here. Like the kid she's talking to right now -- Mist. She's probably got a lot of Water-Types since she blasted Cyrus with a Hydro Pump as soon as she came through."

"Really?" Lucas' eyes widened. "That could be why I'm like this -- I've got a full Blazikan team!"

"It definitely does," agreed the blue-eyed, brown-haired girl as she reentered the area. Not too far behind her came the woman known as Aqua Admin Shelley.

"The entire workforce is in an uproar," Shelly told the group. "If our friends do anything else, we may as well attack and try to take out as many as we can."

"Which means that we have to wait for the rest of the group to attack before we can move," the girl added. "We've already taken care of the outer defense system and the Psychic sensor that Cyrus set up to protect the building from intruders. All that's left is the main attack."

The girl suddenly stiffened then, and her head cocked slightly to the right as a frown formed on here face.

"Something wrong?" Lucas asked.

The girl shook her head. "You guys mind if I disappear for a moment? I need to take care of something." With that, the girl's shirt went from dull red to purple-gray, and she vanished, causing Lucas' eyes to widen in surprise.

"What did she just do?" the boy asked, looking between Shelly and Nick in confusion.

Nick shrugged. "For some reason, she's able to switch between Pokemon Types. That's how she took out the defense system and the sensor. I think what she just went to there was...the Ghost-Type."

"Whoa," Lucas murmured. "That's incredible."

"You're telling me," Shelly responded. "I wouldn't mind having some of that power. Just the thought of being able to summon the waters at my very whim...it sends chills up my spine."

"I don't think it would be a very good idea of you got the abilities I have," the girl remarked as she reappeared where she had been standing a moment before.

"So, what did you need to check on?" Nick asked.

"I just got a message from the Underground," the girl explained. "Preparations are moving along smoothly, and with luck, they should attack at dawn. We've got the rest of this afternoon to prepare ourselves for the attack."

The black clown-wolf grinned. "It's about time." He rubbed his claws together as though he was sharpening them. "I can't wait to sink my claws into that Skuntank."

Lucas shuddered, hoping that the Pokemon didn't mean an actual human. The girl seemed to think the same thing.

"The Galactic members are probably going to be put on trial after this, Zorro," she told the Zoroark. "If anything, the only thing you'll be able to sink your claws into are actual Skuntank."

Zorro let out a growl of annoyance, while Lucas' eyes widened.

"I've heard that name before somewhere," he remarked. "And the only person I've run into who's called any of their Pokemon that is...my rival." Lucas looked at they girl again, who was watching him expectantly. "Joshua, your cousin."

The girl nodded. "You catch on quick," she noted. "Can you guess who I am?"

It took a moment before Lucas knew who he was looking at.

"You're Khrista," he stated.

**Spacial Break**

"Well, _you're_ definitely not leaving this cell ever again," the Galactic grunt stated with a sadistic grin. "After a show like that, they're going to leave you here to rot." He slammed the steel door shut, but Joshua could still hear the goon's maniacal laughter as he walked away from the boy's cell.

After Khrista had disappeared with Lucas, there had been a confused pause right before all the Galactic goons had started yelling at the kids -- and each other -- in order to figure out what had just happened.

Charon had, of course, promptly gone for Joshua and demanded to know if the boy had anything to do with it. Joshua had feigned surprise, claiming that he hadn't known Khrista had been in the room.

The old scientist, giving Joshua a suspicious look, then declared that the boy was to be taken back to his room and left there until they had figured out a way to put him out of his misery (oddly enough, the children they had brought over were much more resistance to Pokemon attacks than the average person).

Thus, Joshua had been sent back to his cell.

"What happened?" Gangrene looked down from her perch on Joshua's bunk at her Trainer with a curious expression.

"We rescued one of my rivals," Joshua explained. "My cousin had to appear and get him out of there before the Galactics could figure out what had happened."

A sinister grin crossed the Gengar's features. "Which one was it?"

"The Torchic."

"Why not the other one? You know I like messing with him."

"Because the Torchic was closest. Besides -- they tried to put me in charge of a Grass-Type group, and his Fire-Group was in the perfect place for a challenge."

Gangrene's grin turned into a scowl. "What were you _thinking_? You could have gotten your name discovered!"

"He fainted with his eyes open," Joshua responded. "I don't think he would've said anything, anyway -- he was in shock."

The scowl remained put, but there was humor in the Gengar's eyes. "I suppose that everything became chaotic as soon as your cousin got him out of there."

"You have no idea." Joshua looked somewhat amused himself, now. "Unless you tried to do something."

"Oh, yes. I managed to get a Cubone away from his assigned Trainer some time ago. They found it in the basement a little while later."

Joshua frowned. "How long ago was that?"

"A few days ago, probably." Gangrene grinned again. "All the Pokemon are starting to become rebellious -- they probably sense what's going to happen."

Joshua wasn't surprised by this. He knew that Pokemon could sense when something big was going to happen, and the attack was certainly something big.

"So, when do we get to attack?" The Gengar looked eager at the idea of taking on the Galactics out in the open.

"Soon," Joshua stated. "But it definitely won't be long."

"No, it won't." The pair looked at the back wall of the cell, and were unsurprised to see Khrista leaning against it.

"What are you doing here?" Joshua asked. "A Galactic could come in here and --"

"I got a message from the Underground," Khrista stated. "The attack's going to be at dawn. I thought you should know."

Gangrene looked hopeful. "Really truly?"

"That's what Green said," Khrista confirmed. Turning to look at Joshua, she added, "You're rival's woken up, but he needed to be told what was going on. I don't think he remembers being under Cyrus' control at all."

"Really?" Joshua blinked in surprise. "I hadn't thought memory loss would be a side effect of all this." He sent a quick glance at the door. "You'd better get out of here and go back to wherever you're staying before a grunt comes in here to check on us."

Khrista frowned slightly, then nodded. "Keep your eyes and ears open -- who knows when the attack will reach you." With that, she Teleported out in a flash of gold.

Gangrene grinned like an idiot at where Khrista had been a moment ago, then turned to looked at Joshua who, although he looked calm, had excitement sparkling in his eyes.

"Get some rest," he told the Ghost/Poison-Type. "You're going to need all the strength you can possibly have tomorrow morning."

The Pokemon nodded in agreement, then climbed into one of the lower bunks and disappeared under the covers. Joshua, after a moment, climbed up to a vacant upper bunk and lifted the covers, revealing the projects he had been working on when he was alone. Removing the pile carefully, he laid the tech out on the untaken lower bunk, going over each of them and looking for repairs that might be needed.

After looking each of the devices over, Joshua lifted up a small device that looked like it had a key attached to one end. Joshua fingered the strange invention for a moment, running a finger along the "key's" ridges. After he had inspected his work, Joshua moved over to the door and attached the device to the handle, causing it to begin beeping softly.

"Shock sensitive," Joshua muttered, causing the beeping to stop. "Twelve hours." With that, he moved over to the lower bunk, shifted the devices into a blanket-bundle (which he placed on the floor beside the lower bunk), then got under the blankets of his lower bunk, falling asleep in seconds.

The device on the door, meanwhile, began to throb quietly; if anything shook the door handle, the cell's occupants would know. And the intruder would be very sorry they had tried to disturb them.


	51. Dreamscape: Final Orders

Khrista looked down at her reflection in the Lake Verity dreamscape, trying to concentrate on creating the Dual-Type that she had managed in Maxie's dream. However, despite the fact that she'd managed to recreate it earlier that day, she wasn't having any luck. This caused the teen to slam her fist into the lake out of frustration.

"Why won't this work?" she growled in annoyance. In the rippling water, she caught sight of something pink on top of her head, but it was gone in a moment.

_"Something wrong?"_

Khrista turned her head away from the lake, catching sight of a certain Mesprit floating at shore of the body of water. "I'm trying to access the ability to use two Types at once. I got it before, but it doesn't seem to be working now."

 _"You'll probably get it eventually,"_ Lien responded. _"You just need more time."_

"Yeah. Time I don't really have right now." Khrista let out a sigh, gating up from where she had been kneeling on the shore. "So, what's up? I got a message from Green saying that the attack was tomorrow."

 _"We're going to need you to cause more chaos, according to Birch,"_ Mesprit explained. _"Find as many kids as you can and free them in whatever way possible."_

Khrista's eyes widened. "That's going to be a bit of a tall order. You're basically asking me to free everyone early enough that they can help in the rebellion -- Lucas pretty much fainted the moment Joshua rescued him from Cyrus' control. I'd have to go out a few hours before you guys got here."

Taking note of the nervous movements the Psychic-Type's tails were making, Khrista let out a sigh. "You came up here to tell me to get going, didn't you?"

Lien nodded. _"You're going to need to get up now in order to free and prepare them from the incoming attack."_

Khrista let out another sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose with the thumb and forefinger of her right hand. "All right. But the first chance I get after we take out Cyrus, I'm taking a nap. A long one."

The Legendary chuckled. _"If you'll get any time alone, that is. I'll leave you to your work. Move fast!"_


	52. The Rebellion part 1

**Khrista's POV**

I was up and making sure my backpack still had everything in it by the time the Pokemon with me were waking up.

"What's going on?" Pika inquired as I threw my backpack over one shoulder. I admire the Exploration Pokemon -- he seems to be smart and quick thinking.

Though, the fact that his Guild is called PokeExplore is somewhat unnerving, as that's what one of my neighbors called _her_ Team....

I shook the thought out of my head. No need to concentrate on that now.

"Lien told me we have to go out and start freeing kids," I explained. "We're going to have to move fast, because that attack is going to start _today_. Or, at least, I'm a couple hours." My gaze went over the group of six Pokemon. "You guys ready to go?"

"Who are we looking for?" Zorro asked.

"Silver," I responded, "as well as the others Joshua and I have managed to identify. If we can find them, they could recognize other Trainers -- and maybe even Pokemon -- and get a mass breakout going."

"Silver's a strong Trainer," Pikachu noted. "You might not be able to find him as easily as you found Joshua or that other Trainer."

Yeah, by _their_ standards he's strong. But put him against an Avatar like me, with a team like mine, and he'd go down pretty fast.

"Well, we'll find him eventually," I stated. "Besides, if he does fight back, I'm pretty certain that he only has his Feraligatr with him."

At this, Raichu and Sparkler exchanged grins, then disappeared inside their PokeBall and SafariBall, Zorro doing the same a moment later. Pika and Pikachu then climbed up onto my shoulders, and I stepped onto the warp panel, leaving the Aqua barracks behind.

Out in the hallway that gave me access to the cells, everything was quiet. No voices, no alarms, no nothing. In a way, it unnerved me, but I figured that no one else was probably supposed to be up.

Of course, that probably wasn't going to last for very long. I promptly went ghost, became intangible, and started to stick my head through the doors to see if Silver was in the area. Unfortunately, I didn't see Silver, and I couldn't get into Joshua's for some reason -- it felt like there was seem sort of explosive on the door that would blast it open the moment I did.

However, in one of the other cells in that area of the building, I did find one person that I knew: Alia, a Trainer who liked Kanto's beasties, and a good friend and rival of mine. I recognized her instantly -- I knew that black hair with pink stripe combo well enough. Although the plain black shirt and pants she was wearing definitely _weren't_ her style.

I slipped into the room and made my way over to her bunk -- which happened to be the upper one on the left side of the cell. I almost mistook her for dead, she was lying so still -- Alia was always the toss-and-turn type from what I remembered of sleepovers.

"This is freaky," I muttered, landing on the floor. I shifted to Psychic-Type and attempted to hold onto the Ghost-Type at the same time. It made my stomach twist, but it settled down pretty quickly as my shirt swirled between gray-purple and gold.

At least _that_ Type mix was working for me.

I put my feet on the head of the lower bunk -- which did have somebody, but I didn't recognize them or disturb them. Grabbing the headboard of the upper bunk, I got as close as I could dare to Alia's head, then started to consider what I should say...and what might end up getting her to actually start acting like her normal self.

I bit my tongue, unsure of what to do, but then something came to mind, and I gave a rather sinister grin.

"Sheesh, what happened to your character?" I whispered in mock shock and amusement. "It looks like she went through a car wash with the top down!"

Alia's body jolted, and she opened her brown eyes with a gasp. An instant later, she had sat up and backed into the wall on one side of the bed. I could tell that she was _really_ confused--looks like she's got the same problem Lucas did.

 _"Calm down,"_ I stated telepathically, reaching out to my friend. _"There's a lot going on, but we don't have much time."_ I floated up and sat down on the bunk bed, looking over at my black-and-pink-haired friend. I furthered my connection to Pika and Pikachu, as they were the two Pokemon that weren't stuck in PokeBalls at the moment.

Alia blinked in confusion, staring at me in shock as my smirk disappeared into a grim look. "What--"

 _"Talk with your mind,"_ I thought irritably. _"That way here won't be anybody else listening in."_

Alia looked somewhat panicked. _Listening in?_

_"You never know with those Galactics. We've got a major problem because of those morons."_

I explained the situation as quickly to her as I could. What I had to say only got her eyes to get wider. By the time I'd finished, it looked like her eyes were going to pop out of her head.

 _Th-this can't be happening!_ Alia yelped. _I only played as a Pokemon Ranger! What would Cyrus want with me?_

 _"It's not you he wants -- it's some girl named White,"_ I replied. _"She's somewhere in our neighborhood, but I don't know who and I don't know where she lives."_

_You're sure they're a she._

_"Positive."_ I shifted my weight. _"Charon tried to get Matthew to tell him if I was White or not. If it was a guy, he probably wouldn't have said anything."_ I looked across the room at the two figures that were hiding underneath the covers of the bed across from us. _"Do you recognize anyone in here?"_

Alia peered over the edge of the bed, catching sight of the others in the room besides us, still out cold despite me moving around. _Two of them could be my cousins...maybe. I'm not sure._

 _"There's a way you can find out. Say their name or something from a conversation that was Pokemon-based. They could come out of it that way. Be careful, though -- there might be some bugs in the walls that will hear what you say."_ I floated off the bed, adding, _"I'm going to go find more kids to rescue. Make sure you're ready for the attack. Good luck."_

With that, I disappeared and flew through the door, starting out for another room.

 _You probably shouldn't tell them everything that's going on,_ Pika noted. _There's a lot to tell and not enough time to do it._

 _"I didn't tell her_ everything _,"_ I replied irritably.

_I meant about White. They're not going to know who she is._

Well, Pika had a point. They probably _weren't_ going to know who White is -- especially considering that everything I know about my neighborhood includes no people with colors in their names _anywhere_.

The rest of the rooms that were in this particular corridor didn't have anyone that I recognized, unfortunately. And if I did know them, I didn't know their names--Alia might, though. She'll probably get to them sooner or later.

After slipping through a wall, I managed to find another corridor of cells. I poked my head into the first room that I came across and got the shock of my life.

"Snap out of it already!" a girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes bellowed at a boy with identically-colored features. "Come on! I want to get you _home!"_ As the girl yelled, her purple jacket seemed to flare out from her movements, revealing more of the white shirt she wore underneath.

I came through the wall the rest of the way, blinking in confusion at the sight before me. Matthew and... _Liz_? And Liz wasn't being controlled?

Unexpected, but definitely helpful.

I landed on the cell floor and walked over to the ramrod-straight eldest Carlsdale, then got as close as I could to his right ear so that I could mutter something and snap him out of it. It didn't take me all _that_ long to come up with something, either.

"Matthew, are you going to let me use your DS to transfer my team over or not?" I demanded in an irritated hiss. "Because it's been about a month since I last did and my Dex needs to be filled."

The stiff boy became even more stiff and started to blink rapidly. Liz looked surprised and a little suspicious at the sudden shift, and she got into some sort of stance that looked like she was ready to pounce on her older brother.

I backed away and stood next to Liz before letting myself become fully visible by dropping my intangible ability for a while -- that move can really drain a person!

Matthew stumbled back a step with a little more fluid grace than he'd had over the last few times I'd seen him. The Carlsdale bent over and grabbed his head with his left hand as though he had a headache -- which I think I would believe, considering his situation.

Liz turned and looked at me in shock. "What did you -- who --"

"My cousin suggested something," I replied. I looked over at Liz curiously. "And how is it that _you_ managed to escape his control?"

Liz blinked, then scowled. "Like even I know. I just didn't want that thing to mess with my head, and a force field appeared out of nowhere. I made sure Cyrus knew I was still me by blasting him with a water attack."

I blinked in surprise. "What?"

Liz let out an annoyed sigh. " _I'm_ Mist, okay?"

My eyes widened in surprise, and I was about to say something in response to this, but then Matthew let out a groan.

"What happened? This doesn't look like our garage...."

"That's because it isn't," Liz responded irritably. She crossed her arms over her chest. "We're stuck on the Pokemon world, and Cyrus actually managed to go through with his plans from Sinnoh."

"And he kidnapped a bunch of us looking for one kid," I added. "You were the first one he nabbed."

Matthew looked at the two of us with surprise and shock. "Wait -- Cyrus did _what?"_

"We've got no time to explain," Liz replied. She looked at me, her eyes scanning my shirt's swirl design. "Do you think you could break the door down?"

I blinked. "I dunno. Maybe. I haven't tried before." My gaze went over to the steel door as I switched from the Ghost/Psychic combo to Fighting-Type.

Matthew's jaw dropped when he saw my shirt turn orange. "H-how did you --"

"Comes with being an Avatar," I replied dryly, glancing in his direction. My gaze returned pretty quickly to the door, though, and I got into a fighting stance of sorts. Then I took off and rammed into the door with my left shoulder.

As soon as I hit that door, I bent it a little bit at where the door handle was supposed to be -- or, at least, a little bit above that. The impact sent a jarring shockwave through my shoulder, causing me to back up a couple steps.

"I think I just used Take Down," I muttered, rubbing my shoulder. "Definitely not doing _that_ again."

Matthew still looked a little bewildered when I turned around to look at the two Carlsdales. Liz -- or, should I say, _Mist_ \-- looked like she'd seen something like what'd I'd done before.

"Well, I'll let you guys have at the rest of the cells in this area," I stated, swinging my left arm to see if I'd done anything really bad to it. Luckily, the pain seemed to be fading away right at that moment. "My cousin said you guys can call the names of the other people you know in order to get them out from Cyrus' control -- or even just something Pokemon-related."

Liz gave a nod. "OK. Thanks."

I gave a nod in reply. "No problem." I yanked the door open using some of that Fighting-Type strength and prepared to step out.

"Wait!"

I paused, my foot hovering over the threshold, then glanced back at Matthew. "What?"

"Is...is there anyone else from our family here?" Matthew asked.

"Um..." I frowned, thinking back to what I knew. When I remembered the riddle Joshua had given me some time ago, I stated, "Your little brother's here, but not the other sister."

Liz let out a sigh of relief. Weird. At the same time, Matthew looked downright _panicked._ Doubly weird.

"Thanks," Liz stated. "Now get going. And stay in touch."

I gave a nod, then shifted to Ghost-Type and disappeared from sight.

"There's something familiar about that girl," Pika muttered to himself. "Almost as though...I know her from somewhere."

"Unless she played the Exploration games, I doubt it," I replied. I looked down as Liz and her older brother walked out of their cell, my eyes widening in surprise when I saw that Liz somehow had managed to get her hands on some sort of curved blue _sword_ with purple gems in the hilt.

Well -- I guess she doesn't need anybody else in order to get the other cell doors open. I flew over the next warp panel and entered the next corridor.

My search in the third corridor was very nearly fruitless were it not for the fact that I ended up scoring two people in the same cell again. The very last cell contained Collin -- the seven-year-old youngest of the Carlsdales -- and Alia's younger sister, Kira. I found it odd that the Galactics had no qualms for putting boys with girls -- maybe they had given them orders that kept them in line.

I snuck over to Collin (who was on a lower bunk) and whispered in his ear, "A whole team of Electric-Types, Collin? Really?"

I had to back up because Collin promptly jumped up and whacked his head against the bottom of the upper bunk.

"OW!" he yelled.

I had to slap my hand across his mouth before he woke anyone else.

"Keep it down!" I hissed. "Every Galactic goon within a mile probably heard you!"

Collin's blue eyes widened, and he pushed my hand away. "What do you mean by that?"

"Give me a minute, and I explain," I replied. I looked across the room at the other bunk bed and leapt for the black-haired girl. Her yellow streaks were starting to fade, but I'd know Alia's younger-by-a-second twin sister anywhere.

"Kiiira," I called out in a soft sing-song tone. "Come ooon, I want to battle you."

Kira let out a groan upon hearing my voice, and she opened her green eyes, which widened a moment later.

"This is not my bedroom," she stated in a panicked voice.

"No, it's not," I agreed, backing up. Kira crawled out of her bed after me, and I soon found myself standing between the blond-haired Carlsdale and the yellow-streaked twin.

"Khrista, what's going on?" Collin asked in a soft, scared voice.

"Cyrus kidnapped you in an attempt to find the Trainer who took him out," Pika stated quickly, looking down at the boy. "He ended up dragging you all into it."

"And we're getting ready to take him down," I added, grinning at Kira.

That didn't seem to be the least of her worries, though.

"You mean we're stuck on another planet without a way home?" she asked in a panicked whisper.

"...Uxie said there was a chance he could help," I responded after a moment. "Until then, yeah. But you guys can help."

"How?" Collin asked.

"Next time you guys get let out of here, look for anyone that you know and say their name as close to them as you can. They'll break free of Cyrus' control, and you'll be able to help take him down, then."

Collin gave me a grin that did _not_ fit his age group. "Sure! We can do that!"

"Thanks, little buddy," I replied. I started to hover, getting looks of shock from the both of them. "I'm going to look for others and see if I can set them loose. See you guys later!"

With that, I disappeared from sight and flew out the door.

"OK...where to next?" I muttered quietly.

"You should try the labs," Pikachu suddenly spoke up. "A few Avatars could be stuck in there."

The idea surprised me. Avatars, stuck in labs? But, then again...considering that Cyrus knows nothing about us and our random abilities....

Quickly, I left the cells behind and went for the labs.

**Spacial Break, Change in POV**

Birch's eyes snapped open at the sound of knocking on his bedroom door. Wasting no time, the Hoenn professor leapt out of bed, made his way through the clutter in his room (almost bumping into his dresser), before throwing the door open, revealing Cedric Juniper, Professor Oak, and Brendan.

Brendan's eyes widened when he saw what his father was wearing. "Dad, you're still wearing the clothes you had yesterday!"

Birch looked down at his attire -- lab coat, green sweater, brown shorts -- then shrugged. "I wasn't thinking about clothes when I went to sleep last night."

Oak shook his head, an amused look on his face. "Well, I'm afraid we don't have any time to discuss that. Lien managed to get your message to Khrista about speeding things up."

Birch jumped out of any thoughts concerning his attire, recalling the request he had asked of the Mesprit the night before. "Good. Is everyone else prepared?"

"We're getting there," Cedric responded. "The Champions have everyone roused on their end, and Red is going around with Delilah to wake up the town."

"I sent Zuzu into the Fields to get everyone there," Brendan added. "We've already got a pretty big crowd outside."

Birch made his way into the hall, then rushed downstairs to the ground floor. "How big?"

"The Square was about three quarters full, last I checked," the Hoenn Trainer replied. "A quarter of that is the Pokemon owned by Avatars trapped up there."

"And then there are the Trainers themselves," Oak remarked. "They are prepared to go off and attack the nearest Galactic at a moment's notice."

Birch grinned at this. "Perfect." He grabbed his sandals from their place by the door and dashed out of the lab, the others in pursuit.

Outside, a large crowd had gathered in the Square, and Pokemon and Trainer alike were talking among themselves, eager to get going and rescue those trapped in the tower. As Professor Birch approached, the crowd's murmurings fell to silence, and all eyes fell on him.

"Good morning!" the Hoenn Professor greeted.

"Good morning, indeed," Rowan responded from where he stood by the other Professors in front of the crowd. "The rest of us are up an hour before the designated time, and you sleep in by fifteen minutes!"

There was nervous laughter from the crowd.

"Yes, well," Birch chuckled. "I suppose you kids are wondering what the battle plan is."

"We've been waiting all week!" someone called back.

Birch nodded. "Lance will lead a squadron of Trainers from Mt. Coronet to attack the tower from the outside using Flying Pokemon." Looking over at the Dragon Trainer, he asked, "I suppose you've already picked the Trainers?"

Lance nodded. "Red and I drew up a list and contacted the Trainers last night. We're ready to go whenever you give the signal."

Birch smirked. "Good. Gather your group together and head for the take-off point with Jewels -- we'll have Merlin send the signal as discussed when we're ready."

Red gave the Hoenn Professor a thumbs-up, then dashed for the tunnel, followed by Lance and a group of Trainers, with Flying-Types from every region -- as well as the Azelf -- bringing up the rear.

"Now, the Ground and Rock-Types are going to have to get up to the cave ceiling directly underneath the tower's foundation," Birch continued. "We're going to need you to dig up through the foundation so that we can fire the grappling hooks from the cannons and get up there."

A pair of Graveler looked at each other in surprise, then grinned.

"I'm up for shaking that tower," one remarked, cracking his knuckles.

"We could really do some damage," the other agreed.

"You can do that _after_ we get everyone out," a Golem told the two. "Come on; we've got a hole to make, and we don't have much time."

 _"I'll come along and give the signal,"_ Lien added. _"Let's go!"_ The Mesprit flew off into the Fields, the Ground/Rock-Types following.

"The rest of you!" Cedric Juniper called. "Go and prepare yourselves if you haven't already done so! If you are prepared and are in the first wave, get into position and wait for the signal!" The crowd promptly scattered in opposite directions.

While Birch ran off to make sure that the grappler cannons were still in working condition, Grace trotted over to a picnic bench, by which a yellow Vulpix was sitting.

"You wanted to talk to me, Velma?" the Eevee asked as she came to a halt in front of the Fire-Type.

The Vulpix nodded. "I understand that you wish to evolve," she murmured.

Grace nodded, but a saddened look crossed her face. "I want to be able to fly, but I don't know if I'll be able to."

"That's just because we haven't told the humans about it yet," Velma responded matter-of-factly. "Even very few Eevee ever hear about it."

Grace's eyes widened. "R-really? You mean there's a chance I'll be able to fly?"

"If you so choose," the Vulpix stated. "If you do, though, you might not be able to become human again."

Grace frowned. "What do you mean by that? I can't turn back right now, and I can't go home. The machine got destroyed, remember?"

"That may be, but Uxie could still find a way for you to go home." Velma let out a sigh. "Your sister has chosen her fate. What will you choose?"

Upon hearing that Eliza had been in this very same situation, Grace's eyes widened. Then she closed her eyes, let out a sigh, and opened her eyes, revealing a serious look. "Let's do it."

**Spacial Break**

Joshua's eyes snapped open to the sound of a shrill whistle from the machine on the door. Quickly, he jumped out of his bed and, taking his bundle of devices with him, leapt onto a lower and lay with his back to the rest of the room.

Just as he had done so, the machine exploded.

"What was _that_?" Gangrene demanded, appearing from her usual shadowy corner. "You're not under attack, are you?"

"It was an invention of mine," Joshua replied calmly. He got off the bed and looked to where the door was. "And it worked perfectly."

The handle had been completely blown apart, destroying the locking mechanism.

The Gengar looked impressed. She gave a sinister grin to her Trainer. "You just provided yourself a way out without the Goons doing anything."

"Exactly what I was hoping for," Joshua responded smoothly. Pressing his left ear, he stated, "I'm on the move, Nick."

It took a moment before the Aqua grunt replied. _::So I heard. Khrista's already gone, and Azumaril says that it feels like the storm's getting stronger. Watch out for things going haywire::_

"Will you guys be coming out?"

_::Definite. Meet you by your place in five::_

Joshua frowned. "Five minutes?"

"Five seconds."

The door creaked open, revealing a grinning Aqua grunt and his equally eager Water-Type. Noticing the Ghost/Poison-Type at Joshua's side, he gave her a quick wave and stated, "Name's Nick. This ran into me a few days back; same with him there. You guys ready to cause a ruckus?"

A mischievous grin came over Gangrene's face. "Certainly."

"Then let's go."

As the pair left the cell, Joshua looked around and noticed that the other cells' doors were wide open. "What happened?"

"Cyrus is gonna have some sort of meeting in the training area," Nick explained in passing. "Don't know what it's about, but I'm not going."

"In that case, this might help." Joshua removed a calculator-like device from his bundle. "If you have to, this can crack codes or blow a door open. It's a once-only use, though, so I'd only suggest it as a last resort."

Nick's grin became wider. "Thanks, man! I could use that." He accepted the device, then gave a mock salute. "I'll be seeing ya." With that, he took off down the corridor, Azumaril not all that far behind.

Joshua looked over at the Gengar. "Come on -- we have to find that room Nick told us about."

"Why?" Gangrene asked, frowning. "Cyrus _is_ going to be there."

"I know that," Joshua stated. "But it's going to be easy to start freeing people -- everyone's going to be--"

_Plunk._

Joshua stopped short, looking up at the ceiling.

"Be...." the Gengar prompted.

"In that room," Joshua finished.

_Plunk._

His eyes widened slightly. "Do you hear that?"

The Ghost/Poison-Type frowned. "Hear what?"

_Plunk._

Gangrene's ears widened. "There's something hitting against the building," she murmured, her frown deepening.

Joshua nodded. "The hailstones. We have to move -- fast." He took off down the corridor, the Gengar in pursuit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know, Liz plays a part as a main character in the other series I've got up right now. Matthew, too, although he hasn't hit main character status just yet. Their missing sister...well, if you've read everything I've posted so far, I think you know who it is that isn't here at the moment.


	53. The Rebellion , part 2

Khrista was starting to become majorly frustrated. Not only was Silver's location eluding her, but the Pokemon and scientists had disappeared from their labs without a sign as to why.

"This is really weird," the teen muttered, scratching her head.

"Do you think they might have known we were coming?" Pika asked, frowning.

"I don't think they know where Khrista is, other than that she's back in the building," Pikachu responded. He looked around, his ears twitching. "It sounds like someone else is coming this way, though."

Khrista's head turned in the direction Pikachu was looking, her eyes narrowing upon catching sight of a feathery red and orange thing at the corner. "Looks like a Pokemon," she remarked.

"Yup!" A Torchic with a red star over one eye hopped around the corner, followed closely by a Riolu with a green stripe going around his right paw. "Hey -- Archie sent us to find you."

"Us?" Khrista frowned and looked at the Riolu suspiciously. "What do you mean, 'us'?"

"I'm one of you guys!" The Riolu replied, holding up his green-striped paw. "Name's Rick. I'm Lucas' brother. They found me not to long ago and told me what's going on."

Khrista relaxed slightly and crossed her arms over her chest. "All right. So what did you need to find us for?"

"Everybody's been gathered in the main training area of the building," Lucas explained. "You're going to have to move fast if you want to get there and cause the most havoc."

Khrista's eyes widened. "Now things are going to get interesting. Which way?"

"There's a one way green warp panel that'll take you there," Rick responded, one paw pointing around the corner. "Once you're there, you'll probably be near enough to Silver that you can get him freed." Looking back at Khrista, the Avatar added, "Good luck."

The teen nodded. "Thanks. You guys keep your eyes and ears open, all right? If you manage to hear about something big, either come looking for me or an Aqua grunt, or try and take care of it yourself. Think you're up to that?"

Lucas' eyes widened, and he grinned around his beak. "I'm ready to knock all those Galactics into next year!"

Pikachu nodded in approval. "Good. Get going and sabotage something before those scientists get back. Set something to explode or something like that."

Lucas gave the Electric-Type a nod, then ran around Khrista and down the hall. Rick followed the Torchic at the same speed.

As the two Pokemon ran off, Khrista exchanged glances with the two Pokemon on her shoulders, then walked around the corner and onto the green warp panel Rick had mentioned.

In an instant, the teen was standing in a corner of a large room, which was packed from end to end with people -- specifically scientists in Khrista's corner of the area.

Khrista looked around as she shifted to a Ghost/Psychic-Type combo. "Looks like some sort of auditorium....I hope that Cyrus hasn't caught on as to who jump-started this whole thing."

Pika nodded, then frowned as he tilted his head back. "We may be able to see what's going on better from up there. Can you take us up there?"

Khrista blinked. "Sure, I guess." She made sure that they were not seeable by the scientists standing nearby, then took off into the air in order to get a better look around.

In the center of the raised platform in the center of the room, a rather haggard, unshaven Cyrus stood, conversing with a nervous Charon and the three Commanders from the Sinnoh games -- Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter. Curious, the teen flew in closer to hear what they were talking about.

"...and send those two up to my office to replace the window," Cyrus was saying.

"Another Articuno attack, sir?" Saturn inquired.

"It may as well have been. Those hailstones are as large as softballs."

Khrista's eyes widened. _"Hailstones? It sounds like the storm outside has begun to unleash its fury."_

 _Which is very good for us,_ Pika noted. _The tower will be taken out much more quickly this way._

 _"Well, yeah, but we still have a long way to go."_ Khrista turned her attention away from the Galactics and she started to circle the area.

She felt Pikachu shifting on her shoulder, then the Electric Mouse stiffening.

"I see Ash," Pikachu stated grimly.

Khrista and Pika turned to look where Pikachu was glaring, and the two caught sight of he black-haired Kanto Trainer -- still in his Galactic uniform -- leaning against a pillar on the stage. It looked like his eyes were closed.

And right at the edge of the stage nearby, surrounded by a bunch of scientists, was a certain red-haired Trainer who looked extremely annoyed.

"Come on. Let's go see why it is that Silver looks so annoyed."

Khrista flew over in the direction that Silver was in and was soon hovering over the area the Jhoto Trainer was standing in. Cautiously, the teen positioned herself above the red-headed Trainer, then reached out with her mind to see if she could make contact with him.

Below, Silver suddenly stiffened as Khrista created a temporary telepathic link between them. _Who's in my head?_ he demanded.

 _"A friend,"_ Khrista responded.

There was a mental snort in response. _Yeah, sure. Prove that I can trust you._

Khrista frowned, then after glancing at Pikachu, stated, _"You're the son of Giovanni, but you didn't really figure it out until when Deoxys came to Earth and got involved with Rocket by accident. Said Deoxys also considers himself Red because he picked up the Trainer's DNA on the way out of the Rocket lab."_

_...That just proves you're a stalker. Try again._

_Maybe you should mention something from those 'games" of yours,_ Pika spoke up.

Khrista's eyes widened. _"Shoot, I'd forgotten about that! Maybe something about the rivalry!"_

Below them, Silver had started to look around for the source of the voice, being careful not to get any attention from the Galactics around him. _...Games? Since when did I have a rivalry with you?_

_"I often called you 'Hairball' for no particular reason."_

Silver stiffened again, seemingly recognizing the name.

 _"Even after seeing your Trainer Card and learning your name,"_ Khrista added.

_...That was annoying. Do you realize how embarrassing that was?_

_"Even worse than the Wanted posters Gold put up?"_

The Jhoto Trainer shuddered at the memory. _What do you want to talk to me for?_

_"I wanted to make sure you weren't under their control. How come you aren't?"_

Silver glanced upward slightly, but he couldn't see where Khrista was because she was staying invisible. _The Galactics have been keeping me hostage so that my father cooperates. Apparently, the Rockets are partially immune to mind control._

Pikachu frowned. _It could have something to do with the Masked Man and his Neo-Rocket group._

 _Perhaps._ Silver frowned. _Two Pikachu accompanied by a Legendary...._

 _"Not quite,"_ Khrista responded quickly. _"I'm no Legendary, and I'm not a complete Pokemon, either."_ Seeing the confused look on the Trainer's face, she continued, _"I'll explain later. The Underground has probably been on the attack since dawn, and the hail only makes me want to speed things up."_

 _Underground?_ Silver repeated.

Khrista nodded, knowing full well that Silver wouldn't see the movement anyway. _"Yup. Free Trainers, Gym Leaders, and Elite Four members who managed to slip away from Cyrus before he could gain control of them. I, though from another world, am one of their number."_ The teen looked out over the crowd, catching sight of blond-haired Collin standing nearby. _"When to get the chance, start attacking the Galactic goons and freeing kids that you recognize. I'm going to go around and do the same."_

Khrista moved from where she had been above Silver's head, catching sight of the frown that graced the Trainer's features. _"Don't bother trying to look for me. I'll reveal myself soon enough."_ With that, she flew over to where Collin stood.

As Khrista approached Collin, she stopped short upon seeing Matthew, who was standing next to his brother. Both boys looked like they had their sights set on the Galactics and scientists in the room, whether to not they had Pokemon on them.

 _"Steady,"_ the teen told the both of them, causing Collin's blond hair to start to raise in alarm, his blue eyes wide. _"Wait until the most opportune time."_

A smirk came across Matthew's face. _Right, sure. Says the trigger happy kid who always fired off her Pokemon's most powerful move first._

Khrista glared at her friend, crossing her arms over her chest. _"Take them out as fast as possible -- that's my strategy."_ She glanced at the seven-year-old. _"Relax, Collin. It's Khrista, who happens to be using telepathy. I'll tell you about what happened later."_

Collin upon hearing this, seemed to relax slightly, but his hair remained in its unusual spiky position. _All right. You'd better remember that._

 _"I will,"_ Khrista responded. _"Any idea what's going on?"_

_I have an inkling._

The three turned to look to Matthew's right, catching sight of Joshua, his arms folded over his chest.

 _Cyrus is probably going to ask around to see if anyone has access to a Cresselia, seen my cousin, get progress reports out of the brainwashed kids, or figure out a way to stop a storm,_ the boy stated. _The Underground should be setting off alarms within a few minutes -- despite what most people say, those Plasma grunts are no fools._

No sooner had the words faded from their minds than an alarm blared throughout the entire room. At the same time, somewhere above them, the building started to shake vigorously.

While Cyrus looked around nervously, fear and surprise clear on his face, Khrista grinned at Joshua. _"All right. Now what?"_

Her cousin smiled slightly. "Here's what we're going to do...."

**Spacial Break**

Lance was relieved to have four Rayquaza with him out by the roof of the tower. Although the hailstones and lightning were helpful, the Dragon Trainer didn't want to think about the damage the freakish weather would have to the Pokemon and their Trainers. Having three Pokemon with Air Lock certainly helped.

As soon as Jewels had received the signal, the Flying Pokemon had attacked the tower with a ferociousness that was rarely seen except for in the wild when Pokemon defended their territory. The hail, which had started a few hours before, had taken out what guns the tower had for outer defenses.

Unfortunately, when the Rayquaza had stuck their heads out of the cave on Mt. Coronet, the hail became like rubber balls, bouncing off the tower with the same level of flexibility as the real deal.

_"Master Lance!"_

The Dragon Trainer turned his head, catching sight of Corza. "What is it?"

 _"Azelf reports that the Underground had run into seem trouble,"_ the colbalt Rayquaza explained. _"We must draw some attention to ourselves -- more than we already have -- so that the forces might become less."_ He nodded to his brethren, who were positioned at the four corners of the tower. _"We are prepared to unleash a simultaneous Draco Meteor, if need be. Will you allow us to?"_

Lance frowned slightly. "Although it is a powerful attack, that move will leave you greatly weakened." He looked down at his ride -- his Dragonite -- who seemed to have gained in interest in something. "What is it?"

The Dragon/Flying-Type pointed downward, at a square rectangle of light that was the only artificial illumination in the area. "It seems as though a window was knocked out by the storm. Perhaps we need not tear the roof off."

Red, who had been flying nearby on his Aerodactyl, Aero, nodded in agreement. "But that doesn't mean that our Pokemon can't have a little fun with taking off as many pieces of the tower as they can." He grinned. "What do you say, Aero? Are you up to it?"

The ancient Pokemon let out a snort of amusement. "Please. This shall be no difficulty for a flyer such as me. You go and have fun inside. I shall join you after I dig my way in."

Aero then flew down to the open area, dropped Red off, then flew off to join the other Pokemon who were wreaking havoc on the surrounding area. The Kanto Trainer was soon joined by Sapphire, who let her Tropius run wild, Brendan, who allowed his Pellipper to cut loose, and Black from Unova, whose Unfezant was soon seen whirling Air Slashes at the tower's walls.

Red released Pika from his PokeBall and grinned at his fellow Trainers. "Let's go."

**Spacial Break**

_"Jewels reports that there are Trainers entering the building!"_ Lien called out.

"About time!" Gary declared. "Blastoise, we need this place cleared out! Move it!"

The giant Water Starter grunted in response, then charged down the corridor ahead of them, blasting water at every Plasma grunt and Pokemon that tried to get in the turtle's way.

 _"How did they get in?"_ Chaos asked, unceremoniously tossing an unconscious Watchdog aside.

 _"Lance's Dragonite saw a shattered window -- the one at Cyrus' office, to be exact,"_ the Being of Emotion explained. _"It was probably taken out by the hailstorm. Red and a few other Trainers went inside not long after this was discovered."_

Mew's clone nodded in approval, then put up a Barrier behind him so that a Plasma grunt running up from behind would be knocked out by the sudden stop. _"Good. These Plasma grunts are beginning to get on my nerves."_ He looked in the direction Blastoise had gone, something moving above him at the edge of his vision, but he ignored it. _"We'll have to move fast if we want to get up there before the Galactics get down here."_

Gary nodded in agreement. "Right. Go, Arcanine!" Once the Fire-Type had been released from his PokeBall, he told the Pokemon, "Go ahead and make us some cover with Blastoise. We want to get the jump on whatever's ahead and scare the day lights out of them."

Arcanine nodded. "It shall be done." The Fire-Type then took off down the hall, joining the Blastoise in a matter of seconds.

Gary nodded to Lien and Chaos. "Let's keep moving. There's more Pokemon waiting to get up here."

Lien chuckled. _"Don't I know it!"_ She looked back at the hole, where Professor Birch stood guard with Professor Oak and the Kanto Professor's Dragonite. _"Bring on the rest of the first wave!"_


	54. Confrontation

_"All right....let's see what happens."_

Khrista rose above the crowd, turning her gaze away from Joshua, Collin, and Matthew, a sinister look crossing her face as she looked a rather haggard Cyrus over.

 ** _"Cyrus,"_** she telepathically called out in a sinister tone that only ghosts could possibly have. **_"Where are you?"_**

Just as Joshua had predicted, the Galactic leader was certainly not himself after what Darkrai and the storm were doing to him psychologically. Cyrus practically jumped out of his socks at the sound of Khrista's mental voice.

The rest of the (basically) free-minded people in the room were also disturbed by the nightmarish tone. The two Galactic grunts standing on either side of the stage stiffened and shifted their hold on their Voltorb launchers.

However, what happened next was _not_ what Joshua or Khrista had expected.

The Galactic leader snapped his fingers, and Khrista instantly felt a tingling sensation all over her body. A moment later, the entire crowd below her let out a gasp, causing Khrista to look down.

She realized a moment later that she was actually _visible._

 _Foresight!_ Joshua cursed. _This shouldn't have happened!_

 _Khrista, think fast!_ came Pika's voice from below. She had handed Matthew her backpack and her PokeBalls before taking off, and now Liz was gripping Sparkler's SafariBall tightly while she watched the events unfold before her.

Khrista's eyes narrowed, and she shot up towards the cage above the stage.

However, she never managed to get there. _Something_ shot up at her from behind and wrapped green vines around her middle, securing her arms. Every time Khrista tried to escape from them by becoming intangible -- or simply pulling harder -- the vines would tighten or pull harder in an attempt to get her down to ground level. The brown-haired teen was hovering inches above the stage within minutes.

Cyrus gave Khrista a sneer. "Did you really think that you would be able to escape me, just because of Darkrai's influence?" He turned to look at the source of he vines. "And make sure she stays put!"

The Bulbasaur at the other end of the vines glanced over at Cyrus and gave a slight nod.

Cyrus returned his attention to Khrista for a moment, and then he turned to face the center of the stage and put his hands behind his back. As though this was a signal, Ash suddenly stepped up onto the stage and moved to stand in front of Khrista.

Khrista swallowed nervously upon seeing the strange look in Ash's red eyes. It was almost murderous.

Khrista felt helpless. With Ash Ketchum nearby -- and defenses against the Types she could work around so well -- there really wasn't much else she could do to get away.

Well, there was _one_ thing she could probably do. Khrista trained her eyes on the back of Cyrus' head.

"Well. I knew you'd managed to take over the planet, but I didn't think it'd take _that_ much out of you. What happened? Zombie apocalypse?"

There were some snickers from the crowd -- especially from the Avatars standing near the front of the stage.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to show up, face to face," Cyrus sneered at the girl without looking back, ignoring the laughter. "How is it that you have managed to avoid capture?"

"I was busy. What of it?" Khrista tried to up her annoyed tone over the terrified squeaks that were trying to work their way into her voice.

"You're being 'busy' nearly cost my my world," Cyrus replied coldly. "Get her."

Khrista's eyes widened when she saw red gems materialize on Ash's arms. The murderous look changed for a moment -- showing apologetic terror -- but soon, that was gone. A moment later, a chain of red gems had surrounded Khrista.

The Bulbasaur keeping her up in the air quickly retracted its vines like it had been stung, but Khrista remained hovering as the Red Chain closed in on her. She tried to fly away, but the Red Chain kept her in place and seemed to be weakening her, somehow.

Cyrus turned and gave an evil smile to Khrista. "You have been a thorn in my side because you were not put under my control. Now that I have you, the rest shall follow."

Khrista, watching as the Red Chain closed in, became desperate. She tried to change her Type to something else, in order to try and break free. Her mind began to move at a mile a minute as she tried to find something, _do_ something, that could help her break free.

As Khrista's vision began to turn red, something clicked, and her vision went white.


	55. Final Battle

"Flare! Get over here!"

The Flareon looked down the hall, catching sight of Vapor standing in front of an open lab door. "What is it? Find something?"

"A room filled with caged Grass-Types!" Vapor's mermaid tail started to wag impatiently. "I'm going to need your help freeing them."

Flare grinned. "It would be my pleasure." He bounded over to where the Vaporeon stood, then walked into a darkened lab.

Inside, there were cages arranged in rows at the back of the lab, the larger ones being in the back, and the smaller in the front.

"Hey!" Vapor called. "Are you guys all right?"

The Pokemon in the cages jumped up in alarm upon hearing the Water-Type's voice.

"Is that a Vaporeon I hear?" asked an Ivysaur cautiously.

"He's not the only one here," Flare answered. "I'm Flare, and he's Vapor. We're here to bust you guys outta here!"

In the back row of cages, a Meganium and a Leafeon who shared a cage looked at each other in surprise.

"Flare?" the Leafeon called in male tones. "Vapor? Is that you?"

Flare's ears twitched, and his eyes widened. "Who else could it be, Lea of White's team? We already told you guys who we are." He nodded to Vapor. "Let's get to work."

"You know the drill," was Vapor's response.

Flare nodded. "All right, Grass-Types -- unless you want to get burned, I suggest you stand as far away as possible from the bars."

The Flareon positioned himself so that he was in a direct line with the bars facing the lab, then unleashed a Flamethrower that flew across the cages and began to heat up the metal cylinders that kept the Grass-Type Pokemon restricted. It wasn't long before the metal had become white hot.

"My turn!" Vapor called as Flare stopped the stream of flames. "Keep back -- who knows what the heated metal is going to do. Hydro Pump!"

A torrent of water blasted across the cages, suddenly cooling the metal, causing it to groan and bend from the pressure and the sudden temperature change. Within seconds, the bars had snapped and been blown to the other side of the lab.

Vapor stopped the water attack and stretched. "Ahh...it's been a while since I'd helped in a breakout. Next!"

"Way ahead of you," Flare responded, motioning to the already white hot bars in the second row.

Vapor grinned. "Perfect!" He bounded over and blasted the next row, freeing the Meganium and Lea.

"Hey, Lea and Bloom!" Flare greeted, grinning. "Been a while, you two."

Lea promptly tackled the Flareon while Bloom the Meganium looked on in amusement. "I knew you guys would come and rescue us!"

"It took us a little work to get here, though," Vapor pointed out. "And there's more than just us, too."

Elaine the Espeon dashed into the lab, her eyes wide with alarm. "Guys, we have a problem. Khrista's going to be in big trouble!"

"What?" Bloom asked, startled. "What do you mean?"

"I sensed something in the air -- apprehension and fear," the Espeon explained, ignoring Lea's look of surprise. "And there's a lot of panic emanating from somewhere near her. We have to find Khrista!"

"But how are we going to find her?" Vapor asked. "We don't know anything about this place!"

"But we do," Bloom responded. "They never considered how intelligent we actually are."

Flare let out a growl in annoyance. "Thinking we are truly dumb animals? That isn't right! How do we get to wherever Khrista might be?"

"She's most likely in the center of the tower," Leaf remarked. "Cyrus holds meetings there, so she could have gone there to see what was up." She slipped out of the lab and motioned for the mob of Pokemon to follow her. "The warp panel's this way! Come on!"

**Space Break**

Joshua had known that something wasn't right as soon as Cyrus had managed to regain his composure and make Khrista show herself. And then the attack by the Red Chain on Khrista -- a surprising development, and maybe a bad one.

The teen had quickly handed out what "tech bombs" he had (those cameras, despite being stealthy, were quite bulky and would make for good, loud explosives when the time comes). The boy then steeled himself for an attack from whatever was going to come.

The arrival of a lot of Pokemon streaming through the warp panels was not what he had expected, as his eyes were still on Khrista as the Red Chains took hold of her.

"Hey, you!" A four-legged creature suddenly landed on Joshua's right shoulder. "What's happening to Khrista?"

"She's become snared by the Red Chain," Joshua muttered grimly in reply. He looked at the creature on his shoulder, and his eyes widened in confusion. "And what are you supposed to be?"

The sky-blue furred creature on his shoulder looked like it could have been an Eevee once. The white, furry collar had become a moving bunch of clouds that went around its neck and moved to the center if its back, where a pair of soft, white wings sprouted from its back. The fluffy tail had become like a Glaceon's, with a forked end like an Espeon's, and the ears and eyes matched a Jolteon's. There were also small tufts of cloud on the back of each of the creature's legs, near the ankles.

"I'm an Angeleon!" the Pokemon responded proudly in female tones. The grin on her face disappeared from her face quickly, however. "Look -- we need to do something in order to stop that stuff affecting her!"

"We can't do anything but watch and wait," he stated matter-of-factly. "If any of us get in there, we'll be under Cyrus' control in a matter of seconds. My cousin is a mix of both Pokemon and human DNA, if her ability is any indication, so the result for her is unpredictable."

"Ash is being controlled and Pokemon can be controlled," the Angeleon hissed. "I don't think it's going to matter for her."

Joshua's eyes narrowed, and he was about to issue a retort when a bright flash caught his attention. The boy's eyes promptly widened upon seeing that Khrista's form was glowing brightly underneath the red band that had formed around her waist.

The Pokemon on his shoulder let out a gasp of surprise. "What's happening to her?"

Joshua shook his head slightly. "Unpredictable," he murmured. "I think Khrista's Pokemon half...is _evolving_."

The Angeleon gave Joshua a weird look and was about to respond to this when a bright flash onstage stopped whatever murmurings and movements there had been from those in the crowd.

As soon as Joshua saw the changes that had been made to his cousin, he took in a sharp breath.

The teen still looked (mostly) like she had before the strange light, only her shirt had gone from the Ghost-Type purple-gray shade to the gold Psychic-Type shade, and for good reason: the teen had obtained the ears and tail of a Mew, and she now simply floated in the air in the fetal position, still unconscious.

"What happened to her?" the Angeleon asked Joshua in a soft voice, concerned.

"I know it's evolution in Pokemon terms, but...I don't know what she can do now," the teen murmured in response.

Cyrus approached Khrista cautiously, looking like he was ready to bolt in case she did anything. When Khrista didn't stir, the Galactic became more bold, and he circled her with an evil grin on his face.

"Something is wrong, Master," Ash called out suddenly, causing everyone to look at the Trainer in surprise.

Cyrus sent the boy a suspicious look. "What do you mean?"

"Her mind is blocked. You will need a spoken password of some sort."

Joshua's eyes widened while Cyrus frowned.

"Password?" Cyrus repeated. "What do you mean, password? I didn't have to deal with this with you."

"She is part Pokemon, Master. Something must have happened during the process."

"She's also from another world," a grunt muttered. "That... _thing_ probably rendered her useless."

Joshua frowned slightly, glancing at the Angeleon, who looked like she was ready to take out Cyrus when she had the chance. He decided to take a chance.

While Cyrus was contemplating on what sort of password was needed, the boy stepped out of the crowd, the Pokemon on his shoulder watching him in confusion and alarm.

"Khrista Elizabeth Langstrom!" Joshua called out. "It's me, your cousin! Joshua Joseph Langstrom! Get over here!"

Khrista shuddered suddenly, and her eyes snapped open, revealing multicolored irises. Without saying a word, she uncurled herself and floated over to where Joshua stood, stopping to his left, still hovering.

Cyrus looked at Joshua sharply. "What is this?" he demanded.

"Names give power around here," Joshua replied calmly. "It wold make sense that her full name was the password you were looking for." He nodded to Khrista. "Free Ash from the Red Chain that binds him. We'll take care of the others."

- ** _Easily done-_** Khrista responded on the public telepathic level. She quickly left Joshua's side. - ** _Raichu, Sparkler -- I have need of your assistance-_**

The two Electric-Types -- now released from their PokeBalls -- looked at each other, nodded, and bounding off after their Trainer, followed by Pika and Ash's Pikachu.

Joshua then turned his attention to Cyrus, ignoring the looks he was getting from the kids and Pokemon around him. "Get him!"

The room seemed to instantly explode with activity as the attackers resumed the battle. Joshua charged Cyrus head-on, prepared to punch the Galactic square in the chest. He had to stop short when Cyrus' Honchkrow appeared in front of him.

"Hey!"

The Angeleon suddenly rammed into the Honchkrow, sending the Flying/Dark-Type reeling. Then the Flying Eeveelution took off, the crow Pokemon flying after her with a loud squawk.

The Galactic Leader gave a crazed smirk, then released a black, dog-like Pokemon with curled horns on its head. Before the Houndoom could attack, though, a Vaporeon dashed by and blasted the Fire/Dark-Type away with a Hydro Pump.

Cyrus called on his Gyrados next, but that was chased off by a Leafeon and a Jolteon.

A look of frustration came over Cyrus' face, and he pulled out a Crobat and an Absol at once.

"Hey! Need some help, Joshie?"

The boy turned his head, catching sight of a familiar pair of Pokemon. "Yes, I would," he responded, a smile coming across his face. "Alak, you take Crobat. Gangrene, you're got the Absol."

The two Pokemon exchanged mischievous smiles, then got in front of their Trainer, glaring at their adversaries.

 _"You can speak to us using my telepathic connection,"_ Alak told Joshua without glancing back.

His Trainer nodded. _Hit the Crobat with Psychic, Alak. Gangrene, take out the Absol with Focus Blast._

"You're going to end this too quickly!" Gangrene complained as she charged up the attack.

"The sooner the planet can go back to normal, the better."

 _"Couldn't have said it better myself,"_ Alak agreed.

The Psychic-Type's spoons started to glow, and with a quick movement, the Crobat's wings were crushed against the bat's small body. At the same time, Gangrene's energy attack hit Absol hard, causing the Disaster Pokemon to slide back a little from the force.

Cyrus gritted his teeth in annoyance, then stated, "Bite and Shadow Ball."

_Fire back one of your own, Gangrene. Finish the Crobat, Alak._

_"Done and done."_

Alak flicked his left wrist, and the Crobat, which had been cringing in pain while suspended above ground, suddenly fell to the floor with enough force to almost send it through the floor. The Absol fired off a ball of shadowy energy, Gangrene releasing an identical ball at the same time, causing the two Shadow Balls to explode on contact and dissipate.

 _"Crobat is done,"_ Alak reported.

Joshua nodded, taking mental note of the comical swirls that had taken the place of the Crobat's eyes. _Finish off the Absol with a double Focus Blast._

The two Pokemon nodded at once, then charged up and fired on the Dark-Type before Cyrus could utter another attack order.

The Galactic Leader looked at the trio in surprise. "H-how--"

"There's a reason I had these two trained together," Joshua responded calmly. "Alak, I think you know what to do with him."

The Alakazam nodded, then held up his spoons, releasing psychic waves in Cyrus' direction as he did. Within seconds, the Galactic had collapsed, unconscious.

While Alak was lifting up Cyrus using his Telekinesis, there was a sudden blast of sound from somewhere behind them, the smell of ozone quickly permeating the air. Quickly, Joshua turned around to see what was going on, and his eyes widened in surprise.

Khrista, two Raichu, and two Pikachu were standing in a circle around Ash, a _huge_ column of electricity coming through the upper floors of the tower and hitting the Kanto Trainer.

 ** _-Enough!-_** Khrista declared, breaking the circle and causing the attack to cease as Ash fell to the ground. **_-The boy is rescued-_** She turned to look over at where Joshua stood, Alak still keeping an eye on a slumbering, twitching Cyrus. **_-The enemy's biggest players have been subdued. All that remains are the minion-goons-_**

Joshua nodded in agreement. "Alak, get yourself and Cyrus out of here and head back to the Underground. Try to find someone who might have stayed behind and tell them what's happened. Darkrai, you go with him."

The Dark-Type Legendary appeared beside Alak. _"Very well. But only because I have to stay close to this one to keep him completely subdued."_ He nodded in Khrista's direction, then faded away into shadow as Alak vanished in a flash of light.

As soon as Cyrus had left the building, the fighting quickly ceased. Khrista and Joshua worked with the Pokemon and Trainers to gather up the scientists and Galactic grunts. The boy thought that it was odd that neither Aqua or Magma goons had appeared at all, and that there were very few Rocket members. What remained of the Kanto team also seemed oddly relieved to have someone telling them that they were under arrest.

As the last of the goons were gathered up, the booming outside of the building began to affect the tower more vigorously.

"It's the Rayquaza!" Red called out as the others looked about in confusion. "They're going to make the entire tower collapse! We need to get out of here!"

 ** _-All Psychic-Types, grab as many Pokemon and humans as you can and Teleport yourselves out of here!-_** Khrista called out. She herself then Teleported a couple groups of Galactics and scientists, only to suddenly cry out when her Pokemon features disintegrated in a shower of sparks, and the teen fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Khrista!" Raichu called out in alarm, rushing over to the fallen teen. An instant later, Mewtwo and Mew were hovering over Khrista, Ash being levitated by Mewtwo's power not very far away.

 _"She has over exerted herself,"_ Mewtwo noted as Mew lifted Khrista's form with Telekinesis. _"A few days' rest will do her some good."_ Turning his attention to the Pokemon and people that remained after the Psychic-Types had left with those they could take, the Legendary stated, _"Aurora and I are more than capable of Teleporting all of you out of here. All I ask is that you got as close to us as possible and don't more from your spot until we say so."_ The two Pokemon were instantly surrounded by a large group, each person wanting to get as close to the Legendaries as possible.

"Stay calm!" Red shouted. "A mob is not going to do us any good right now."

Miraculously, all movement ceased at the sound of his voice.

Mewtwo nodded in approval. _"Aurora. Now."_

At once, the two Psychic-Types began to glow, and a pink-and-blue bubble expanded around the group as the ceiling above began to crumble. Just as a gigantic piece was about to pierce the energy dome, the group disappeared from the tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khrista's "Mew Forme" only comes in under certain circumstances. It doesn't happen often.


	56. Aftermath

The humans and Pokemon were still getting their bearings down in the Fields when Cyrus' citadel of torture fell back -- away from where the Underground hid and into the remains of the forest that had once surrounded Lake Verity.

Ray nodded in approval at the wreck down below. _"There."_ He looked at Jewels. _"They got out?"_

The Being of Willpower nodded in confirmation. _"They left mere seconds before it was knocked down."_ He motioned to the gaping hole that had taken the place of the building's foundation. _"We should go down there and join them, just to be sure that they're all right."_ He flew down the hole, the rest of the Pokemon and Trainers following behind.

 _"Merlin! Lien!"_ Jewels called, zooming over to where the other Lake Spirits were conversing. _"We did it!"_

 _"Indeed we have,"_ Merlin confirmed. _"However, there is something else that still troubles me...."_

Motioning for the others to follow, the Being of Knowledge flew off to a secluded area of the Fields, while the rest of the Pokemon and Trainers celebrated their victory, the Pokemon's absence going unnoticed. And then they caught sight of the unconscious Ash and Khrista. Standing nearby were Red and Joshua.

Lance approached Chaos and Aurora, looking at the two unconscious teens with concern. "What happened to these two?"

 _"Khrista over exerted herself not long after freeing Ash,"_ the Mew explained. _"Both need to recover from the amount of energy they were exposed to. In time, they will awaken and return to everyday life."_

Ho-Oh landed next to the Kanto Legendaries. _"Give them to me -- Entei and his Shiny brother Pyrus can watch over them, allowing the rest of you to lick your own wounds."_

Chaos and Aurora exchanged a quick glance, nodded, then transferred Ash and Khrista to the Rainbow Pokemon's back

 _"You need not worry,"_ Ho-Oh reassured the watching Pokemon. _"They shall be safe with me."_ With that, the Legendary took off and flew for the Coronet Tunnel.

Joshua, who had been lost in thought after seeing the Lake Spirits go off on their own, didn't flinch or jump when Alak appeared beside him.

 _"Dawn and Lucas have the mongrel restrained,"_ the Alakazam stated calmly. _"Darkrai is with them."_

Joshua nodded absently. "Good. Is he still asleep?"

 _"Yes. Darkrai is making sure of that."_ The Alakazam scanned the crowd, seeming to take special interest in the nervous looks the Galactics were giving the Underground members -- as well as each other. _"It will take quite some time before Cyrus' mistakes will be completely reversed."_

"Yeah," Red agreed. "But how long, do you think? That storm up there isn't going to let up anytime soon."

As if to prove his point, a hailstone rolled by their feet as lightning flashed overhead.

"The Jhoto Legendaries set up the storm so that the could scorch the earth of Cyrus' work," explained a trainer wearing a baseball cap backwards. The Typhlosion beside him nodded in agreement. "Name's Gold, and this is Exbo. You're Joshua, right? Khrista's cousin?"

Joshua nodded. "That's right. And this is one of my team, Alak."

 _"Greetings,"_ Alak stated. _"Is there a reason you approached us?"_

Gold smirked. "I've been helping to keep an eye on the Pokemon you and your friends befriended. I fact, one of those Rayquaza is yours." He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the four identical Hoenn Legendaries. "It's the blue one."

Joshua's eyes widened. "I never though that a Rayquaza could be that color."

Gold chuckled. "You'd be surprised at how many Shiny forms of Legendaries there actually are." A grin came over his face. "Come on -- Avatar or not, I want to see how strong your team is."

Joshua smirked. "I'm up for a challenge."

**Spacial Break**

_"Another problem is going to keep things from going back to normal?"_

_"Unfortunately, yes,"_ Merlin confirmed to a surprised Mesprit. _"We may have freed a large portion of people here, but there are still those who will try to free Cyrus at all costs. We're lucky that they have all been gathered in one place."_

He created two holograms, one becoming a location, and the other became a pair of figures. The two figures were what caused Lien's and Jewel's eyes to widen.

 _"I was wondering why Cyrus didn't summon those two,"_ Jewels remarked. _"He probably left them with instructions in case something happened to him."_

Merlin nodded. _"I warned Ho-Oh of what I saw as a possibility, and he has prepared himself accordingly. The Enteis' healing fire shall allow the two to awaken sooner, so that we can rescue those that remain under the Red Chain's control. We have to warn the Professors of what's coming._ Now. _"_

**Spacial Break**

In a dark cave, high up in a distant mountain off the coast of the shore of Sinnoh, two figures stood unmoving. A voice suddenly echoed in the darkness.

**_-The tower has fallen, and Cyrus has been taken prisoner by those we once swore to protect. While they are still protected by what we have done, their world will not return unless they come to us-_ **

** -Those who have come before have failed to beat us, much less harm us. How will these be any different?- **

**_-They have the children. The ones that have flickered in and out of time with great instability. We must exploit that weakness if we are to defeat them-_ **

** -The children with the spatial problems. They do not belong to this world. They shall be eliminated- **


	57. Awakening

Khrista couldn't tell which was worse: her massive headache, or feeling like she had been drained of all her energy. It felt like she had been weak and in pain for an eternity.

 _"Khrista,"_ a voice called out. _"Wake up. Please?"_

Khrista winced a little at the sound of the voice. She felt like she hadn't heard anything in...well, forever. She didn't want to listen to it, but the voice kept repeating her name and the question, so the teen figured that it wouldn't stop until she obliged. With what little strength she had, Khrista slowly opened her eyes, letting out a groan as they came in contact with the light above her. She frowned as soon as she saw the shadowy figures above her.

"Give her some space," another voice stated, causing the shadows to move back. "It's been a while, Khrista."

Khrista blinked for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust. "Joshua? Wh-what --where--"

"You've been out of it for a good two days," her cousin explained. "We're in a makeshift Pokemon Center in the Underground." He grinned. "Cyrus is in solitary confinement just down the hall. Darkrai has been keeping an eye on him."

Khrista's eyes widened at this. "Seriously? A-and Ash, is he --?"

"Still asleep, if you're wondering," answered another voice.

Khrista's head turned, and she caught sight of the familiar blue eyes of a neighbor.

"Matthew!" Khrista exclaimed in surprise. "What are you-- I mean --"

"Take it easy," Matthew replied, holding up a hand. "I'm fine, and everything's going well...even though I still haven't been able to get a band together." He glanced behind him at the other bed that was in the room. "This would be _so_ much easier if Maria wasn't off in another world."

"Another world?" Khrista blinked in confusion.

"Tell you later." Matthew smirked. "What'd I'd like to know, though, is how you managed to get a GigaVolt out of yourself and four Electric Mice."

Khrista blinked again. "I...I don't know. It just came to me, I guess." She gave a weak smile. "Sorry if that doesn't help you out."

Matthew shrugged. "Nah, it's all right. Just makes me wonder if Pika's done more training since my sister last saw him."

Khrista frowned and was about to say something else, but then she winced as a wave of pain wracked her head for a moment. "How long until this headache let's up?" she grumbled.

"If you actually manage to eat something, you should recover quickly enough," a Nurse Joy responded as she came into view. "If you two would please step out for a moment. I know you want to catch up, Matthew, Joshua, but Khrista needs her rest."

Matthew nodded. "Thanks for letting us visit, Nurse Joy."

"It was no problem."

As Matthew and Joshua left, Nurse Joy helped Khrista sit up by propping her up with pillows. The teen was then handed a steaming bowl of soup, causing the teen to give the nurse a curious look.

"We don't want to push you too much," Nurse Joy explained. "If we tried to get you up now, you would probably collapse."

Khrista looked down at the white sheets that covered her person, shifting her legs as she did so. "Yeah, I guess so. But if I had to get out of bed, a pair of crutches or a wheelchair would probably be needed."

"Is suppose so," Joy agreed. "Now, let's see if you have enough strength to eat something."

While Khrista was working on eating the broth without spilling any of it on the sheets, Nurse Joy told her what had been going on the past few days.

After the four Rayquaza had managed to topple the tower, everyone that had been in Mt. Coronet moved to the Underground. The celebration lasted for all of the first day and finished on the morning of the next, so no one had noticed when Ho-Oh had dropped her and Ash off after having Entei and Pyrus expose them to their healing fire. It was about mid-afternoon by the time Khrista had woken up.

"Wow," Khrista stated when Nurse Joy was done. "Looks like I haven't missed much."

"Some might say otherwise," Joy responded. "A lot of your Pokemon have requested to come in here and meet you, but I've had to turn most of them down -- a Rayquaza can't fit inside, much less get his head through a window."

"I suppose not," Khrista agreed. "Who has come in?"

"Your entire team, an Eevee clan, your cousin, and other Avatars. Everyone else has been preparing for when the storm lets up."

Khrista's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The hailstorm is still going?"

"It has moved on from hailstones to artificial fire and brimstone, but yes, it's still going."

"Fire and brimstone? Man, those Jhoto Legendaries can sure cook up storm! Are they trying to scorch the earth or something?"

"I believe so," Nurse Joy answered. "They have been trying to get rid of as much of Cyrus' work as possible."

"Well, I guess that makes sense. But, isn't it all over the world?"

Joy nodded. "The storm started wreaking havoc in Kanto, and is on its way to Unova as we speak."

There was a sudden moan to Khrista's right, causing the teen's head to turn in that direction, her eyes widening in surprise: Ash was beginning to stir.

As Ash started to sit up, Nurse Joy rushed over to a corner of the room and returned a moment later with a large picnic basket. As if Joy had just found an alarm, Ash sat up as stiff as a board, wide brown eyes watching the basket.

"Where did you get that?" he asked cautiously, looking between Nurse Joy and the basket.

"Your mother gave this to me at noon," Nurse Joy explained. "She claimed that it would wake you up more quickly." She placed it on Ash's bed while Khrista watched his hungry face with amusement.

"It's been _way_ too long since I had any of Mom's cooking," Ash remarked as he opened the basket. Within mere seconds, he had the entire contents of the basket laid out on his bed, with Khrista's wide eyes watching all the food that was removed. The Kanto Trainer, of course, caught sight of this.

"You look like you haven't eaten in days," Ash noted with a smirk.

"Two would probably be more specific," Khrista responded. "We've been out since before Cyrus' tower was destroyed, apparently."

Ash's eyes widened. "The tower was destroyed?"

"And I rescued you with the help of a few Electric-Types, too. One big GigaVolt, remember?"

Ash looked like he could have leapt out of his bed right then and there. "A GigaVolt?! I've only heard about that in legends!"

"Well, I'm technically a legend, and I couldn't have done it alone. I needed both my Raichu, a Guildmaster Pikachu, and your Starter Pokemon, as well." Khrista shrugged. "I ended up fainting from exhaustion afterwards."

Ash motioned to Nurse Joy. "Do you think you could push our beds closer together? It looks like she wants some of my lunch."

"So long as she doesn't eat it too quickly," Joy responded. Upon getting a confirming nod from Khrista, the nurse pushed her bed over to Ash's. "Call me if you two need anything."

After Nurse Joy had left, Ash handed Khrista a plate. "Go ahead. Dig in."

With that, the Kanto Trainer took his own suggestion and started heaping food on. Khrista, after placing her soup bowl on a recently discovered tray attached to her bed, did the same.

"So, now that I'm clear of any Red Chain stuff," Ash started, "What's your name?"

"It's Khrista," Khrista responded. "Khrista Langstrom."

"Khrista...." Ash tried the name out, frowning slightly. Then he brightened into a smile. "That's a nice name!"

"Thanks!" Khrista replied, chuckling.

"So, where'd you start? I'd heard you got a perfect score in Hoenn, but --"

"I actually started in Hoenn and I made it a point to get as full a PokeDex as possible," Khrista replied. "I recently started to go through Unova, as well. If I manage to get through it all the way, then I'll have been to five regions -- and become champions in all of them."

Ash's brown eyes widened. "Whoa." A smirk came over his face. "White beat you to that, though. And there's probably been a lot of other Avatars who've beat you to it."

Khrista shrugged. "It's not really anything that I'm worried about. I just like playing the games. Like everybody else from my world."

Ash frowned and was about to say something else, but then Knrista held up a hand to and cocked her head. That's when she heard something.

"Did you hear that?" Khrista asked, frowning.

Ash frowned, as well, but out of confusion. "Hear what?"

"It sounds like something small and fast is coming this way...."

Ash glanced at the door, frowning as he did. "How did you hear that? I can't hear anything."

Khrista shrugged. "It probably has something to do with the Pokemon abilities."

Ash gave Khrista a look of shock. "Pokemon abilities? Since when?"

"Since I got here, probably," Khrista replied with a shrug. She eyed the door as the fast footsteps became louder. "The whatever-it-is will be here in three...two...."

A yellow blur blasted through the door way and, leaping onto the picnic basket, stopped short and looked down at Ash, who looked up from his meal cautiously.

"Hey, Pikachu," Ash greeted. "What's up?"

"You've made me worry to death, that's what!" Pikachu responded. "First it turns out that Khrista's half Mew, and now Ho-Oh says you probably absorbed some electricity!"

Khrista blinked. "I'm _what_?"

Ash's eyes widened. "Wait -- what happened?"

"The GigaVolt," Pikachu replied. "It sounds like people are saying that your body took in some of the attack. And there's a rumor going around that Cyrus could end up making a comeback or something. Whatever it is, we're going to be in big trouble soon enough. There's something in the air that I don't like at all."

Ash and Khrista exchanged a quick glance, the former looking anxious while the latter was just plain curious.

"Have all the Pokemon been accounted for?" Ash finally asked.

"The Elite Four's been taking a survey. If they can find everyone on their 'List of Missing Pokemon,' then we're good."

"Does that list include Legendaries?"

Pikachu frowned slightly. "Legendaries? Probably. Why?"

Ash's eyes narrowed. "There are quite a few Legendaries that aren't on the mainland," he warned. "Dialga and Palkia, for instance."

Khrista's eyes widened, recalling what Chaos had told her not long after she had arrived. "That's right. You and the Lake Sprits weren't the only ones to be hit by the Red Chain. The main Legendaries of Sinnoh got hit with it, too!"

Ash nodded grimly. "We need to warn the others, then get a group together and go after them."

"But where are they?" Pikachu asked.

"I think I've got an idea," Khrista responded, frowning slightly. "Are they anywhere near Stark Mountain, Ash?"

"Near it? They live in it!" Ash gave her a strange look. "How'd you know?"

"You're not the only one who wanders to other places in their sleep," Khrista shot back with a smirk. She glanced at Pikachu. "Do you think you could help us sneak past Nurse Joy?"


	58. Heading Out

Despite having been lying unconscious for two days, Ash and Khrista now had more than enough strength to get out of bed and sneak through the halls. They were just about to leave the Pokemon Center when Nurse Joy caught sight of them.

"What do you two think you're doing?" she asked, causing the two to freeze in their tracks, Pikachu on Ash's shoulder. "You should be in bed, resting!"

"Not with Legendaries trapped in Sinnoh's Battle Frontier," Khrista responded.

Nurse Joy frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I wasn't the only person who was hit with the Red Chain," Ash reminded Nurse Joy. "Dialga and Palkia are still out there, and we have to free them before they they come here and rescue Cyrus."

Nurse Joy became pale. "You can't be serious."

 _"I'm afraid that he is completely serious,"_ Merlin responded as he came through the Pokemon Center's entrance. _"Dialga and Palkia are still dead loyal to Cyrus, whether we freed Ash or not."_

"So we've got to go and rescue them," Khrista stated matter-of-factly.

Nurse Joy looked concerned, but swallowed her worry. "All right -- you two can go. Just don't do anything that exhausts you too quickly."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy!"

As the group left the Pokemon Center, Ash's eyes widened as he looked around.

"Quite the set-up you guys have here," he noted.

Pikachu grinned. "Wait 'til you see where the Pokemon get to live!"

 _"I'm afraid that will have to wait,"_ the Uxie near them responded. _"We have to find the Pokemon and Trainers that you will want to bring along."_

Khrista nodded. "For my team, Ray is going to be one of the more obvious choices. If we have to fight Dialga and Palkia -- and we will -- Ray's going to be great on the offensive. Raichu, and maybe Vapor and Swamp too."

Ash frowned slightly. "How can you sound so confident? Do you know their Types?"

"Sure I do! Dialga's a Dragon/Steel-Type, and Palkia's a Dragon/Water-Type." Khrista smirked. "While Dragon-Types would be more than helpful, the Legendaries other weaknesses can be put to our advantage."

"Meaning that I could take out Palkia!" Pikachu realized.

"Exactly," Khrista confirmed. "Let's see...Swamp, Ray, Raichu, Vapor.... I guess I'll throw Linoone in there, too."

Ash exchanged looks with Pikachu. "I'll take you, Charizard, Infernape, Gible, Sceptile, and Heracross. Any idea where they might be?"

Pikachu nodded. "Everyone's been hanging out in the Fields. Come on!" He leapt off Ash's shoulder and took off for where the Pokemon were most likely located, Khrista, Uxie, and Ash in pursuit.

"What are 'the Fields'?" Ash asked as they went.

"It's pretty much an area underground that has a controlled environment, from what I've seen," Khrista explained. "It's the closest we can get down here to what the world used to be like."

They quickly moved by the stone huts -- which gained a curious look from Ash as they passed -- and into the Fields, where the began to look for their Pokemon.

Khrista took in a breath, her nose twitching like crazy as she took in the smells of her surroundings. She quickly caught a familiar scent, and, turning her head in the direction the smell was coming from, grinned when she caught sight of the Pokemon that was approaching. "Hey, Ash. I think someone's seen us."

Ash and Pikachu turned their heads, their eyes widening in surprise.

A moment later, a familiar Fire/Flying-Type had landed in front of them, roaring and spewing fire.

"About time you got out here!" Charizard exclaimed. "That Nurse wouldn't let me in to see you, Ash!"

Ash chuckled. "You wouldn't be able to fit through the door! What makes you think you could have, even if she let you?"

The fiery dragon scowled, then chuckled, causing the others to laugh as well.

Ash scratched the back of his head, a nervous look on his face as the laughter faded. "Listen, Charizard -- I'm going to need your help."

"With what?"

"We need to go to an island off the coast and free Dialga and Palkia," Khrista explained. "You up to it?"

Charizard looked surprised at this, then grinned. "Up to it? You might as well ask a Pidgey if it can fly! I'm so in!"

"Good," Ash stated. "The others I'm looking for are Infernape, Gible, Sceptile, and Heracross. Any idea where they are?"

Charizard nodded. "Yeah, sure -- everybody's been doing this big family reunion thing not too far from here. I left when it got too crowded for my liking. Come on." He allowed Ash and Pikachu to climb on, then took off in the direction he had come, leaving Khrista and the Uxie behind.

Khrista's gaze scanned the area. "Any idea where I might be able to find my team, Merlin?"

The Being of Knowledge frowned slightly. _"I sense quite a few large gatherings, Khrista. Your Pokemon could make either one of those groups."_

"Look for Ray, then," the teen suggested. "He could be in one of the groups."

_"Hmmm.... No, I'm afraid he is not. All four Rayquaza have taken to sleeping around or near the hole, so as to keep people from getting hurt by coming too close."_

"Right...the Air Lock ability." Khrista let out a sigh of annoyance. "So, where should we look first?"

"You could try behind you."

Khrista turned to see who was speaking, only to find a sky-blue furred creature with what looked like angel's wings. The creature's voice seemed somewhat familiar....

"Do I know you?" Khrista asked cautiously.

"It's me, Grace the Eevee!" The Pokemon looked at her wings and smiled apologetically. "Or, Grace the Angeleon, now."

"Angeleon?" Khrista repeated. "You don't mean that's the Flying-Type Eeveelution?"

"Yup!" Grace grinned. "The Professors have been looking for me so that they can study my new form a little, but I don't want them to do anything yet. So, I came out here to do a little flying." She pointed with a paw in the opposite direction Ash had gone. "Your Pokemon have been hanging out over that way. Come on!" She took to the air and zoomed off.

"She's fast," Khrista noted. "And she's given me a challenge."

There was a familiar feeling in her gut, and the blue-eyed teen found her shirt shifting color to the same sky blue as the Angeleon's fur.

She quickly took to the air herself and flew off after Grace, Merlin not too far behind.

"So, how'd you manage it?" Khrista asked after she had caught up. "Evolve, I mean."

"You remember how you mentioned that there was a large collection of feathers in Unova?" Grace asked.

"The ones that fell onto the bridges? Yeah, I remember. Why?"

"There was one feather in specific -- the Pretty Wing -- that was all but useless for raising stats. That's the only feather that makes up my wings."

Khrista's eyes widened. "Seriously? You evolved by using a Pretty Wing?"

"Well, I had to be holding it when I went through Luminous Spring. I don't know if there are any other qualifications, though."

Khrista smirked. "Well, whatever it is, I'm going to try and find out."

The three soon arrived at the area Grace had mentioned earlier, finding that the Pokemon in Khrista's team were pretty spread out, each Type or species in their own little group.

"Let's go to find Swamp, first," Khrista remarked. "He's the leader of the team, and the one who would probably know where everybody is."

Raichu was the first one to catch sight of the Trainer. An instant later, a large crowd of Pokemon of all Types had gathered around Khrista and Merlin, each one wanting to get to talk to the teen first.

"Guys, calm down!" Khrista exclaimed, laughing. "I'll get to talk to all of you, don't worry."

"How long ago did you wake up?" Raichu asked.

"A couple minutes ago," Khrista answered. "Ash is up and about, too."

"The Electric Kid?" Sparkler inquired. Despite being Liz's Raichu, he had recently taken to spending more time with Khrista's Electric-Type. "I've been sensing that Trainer's energy level for some time. It almost feels like when Zapdos is sitting right in the middle of the Square and I'm in my hut."

Khrista's eyes widened. "Seriously? He's got that much electricity in him?"

Sparkler nodded. "He's going to need some training, too, or else he's going to end up zapping somebody by accident."

Khrista let out a sigh. "Well, that'll have to wait until after we go after Dialga and Palkia."

The entire group froze and looked at her in astonishment.

"...Go after Dialga and Palkia?" Linoone repeated. "What do you mean?"

"Ash told me that Dialga, Palkia, and quite a number of Pokemon are being held in or around Stark Mountain," Khrista explained. "If we can't go and get them freed, they're probably going to hunt us down. I've already decided on who I'm going to bring with me to go after them -- if you guys want to, of course. I was hoping to bring, out of you guys, Raichu, Vapor, Swamp, and Linoone. Any complaints?"

The four mentioned Pokemon looked at each other -- or, more accurately, looked at Swamp.

The Swampert frowned. "Dialga and Palkia...are you sure we can take them on in their state?"

"Positive," Khrista responded confidently.

 _"You need not worry over whether you can or not,"_ Merlin spoke up. The collection of Pokemom turned to look at the Psychic-Type as he continued, _"White took on Primal Dialga in the form of a Vulpix at level 50 or so. I believe you will be more than strong enough to take on Dialga and Palkia in the present day."_

All the Pokemon looked at each other upon hearing this. Khrista couldn't tell what they were thinking, on account that they were all looking at Swamp, and _his_ face was guarded.

"Well, I'm good to go whether you guys are or not," Vapor spoke up. "I've heard enough about these guys that my Aurora Beam attack should do more than enough damage at this point."

"I'll go to," Raichu added. "I never got to do much in the citadel up there, and it's been a _long_ time since I last fought a Legendary." She grinned.

"Yeah!" Linoone's entire body wagged at the thought, and Khrista just had to laugh at the Normal-Type's enthusiasm. "I can't wait!"

Swamp looked down at the Pokemon around him, which were now looking at him expectantly. The Swampert looked a little lost and surprised because of the quick choices made around him.

"C'mon, Swamp," Khrista stated, holding out a hand. "I'm going to need your help, too. What do you say?"

The Water/Ground-Type looked a little uneasy, but upon seeing the look on Khrista's face and the determined shine in her eyes, he gave a nod and placed his paw in her hand.

"Let's get this over with," Swamp stated.

The crowd of Pokemon around Khrista and her team broke out into loud cheers.

"Awesome!" Khrista exclaimed, grinning. "Now we just need Ray and we've got ourselves a full team!"

 _"You do realize that Ray is staying at the hole in the cave roof simply on account of the storm above us?"_ The Uxie hovering nearby asked.

Khrista blinked but then she scowled. "Right. Well, shoot."

"We're going to need a Pokemon that has either Air Lock or Cloud Nine," Vapor spoke up. "That storm's not going to let up just because we're going."

"And I don't think that we need _all_ four Rayquaza at that hole," Raichu added with a knowing look. "Ray can probably come."

Khrista's scowling expression instantly brightened. "Then we _can_ bring him!" Her blue eyes moved over to look at the Being of Knowledge. "Do you think you could get my team's PokeBalls, then?"

 _"I do not believe I will be facing difficulty from such a task,"_ Merlin replied coolly. He gave a nod, then disappeared in a flash.

"Umm...can I come, to?"

Khrista blinked, then looked down at the winged, four-legged Pokemon standing near her feet. "Why would you want to, Grace? We're kinda going into the lion's den."

"I want to be able to help," the Angeleon replied stubbornly. "I've always played Mystery Dungeon games -- I want to see what it's like for real."

"I dunno, kid," Raichu replied, frowning. "From what I've heard, the Frontier Ruins aren't exactly the best place to be -- even if you're a Level 100."

"I'd let her come along."

Khrista stiffened in surprise upon hearing the voice, then turned to look behind her.

Khrista frowned. "Joshua, are you nuts? We don't know what's going to be over there."

"Then we keep her close," Joshua replied with a shrug. Khrista noticed by this movement that there was a green strap on his shoulder -- a backpack, maybe? "Besides, she's probably going to need the experience sooner or later."

"We?"

Joshua gave a nod. "Right. I'm coming with you -- I talked to Ash about it already."

Khrista's frown turned into a scowl, and she let out a sigh. "All right. And you're absolutely set on bringing Grace with us." She motioned to the Angeleon, who looked up at Joshua hopefully.

Joshua glanced down at the Flying Eeveelution with his hazel, green-speckled eyes. Then he gave a nod. "Yeah. She'd probably stow away on your Rayquaza as soon as we were starting to leave."

Grace scowled at the idea. "Maybe."

Khrista sighed again, then gave her cousin a look. "So, does this mean that Ash is already at the hole that was left behind?"

Joshua gave a nod. "It actually isn't too far from here." He turned and started moving -- deeper into the Fields and further from the main hub of the Underground. "Come on, it's this way!"

Khrista looked around at her collection of four Pokemon, then gave a nod and started after Joshua. The four Pokemon followed after her, Linoone keeping in stride with his Trainer.

It wasn't long before the group arrived at the place where Cyrus' citadel had once rested. One could plainly see through the hole left behind by its felling the dark storm clouds and the rather dangerous, large fireballs that fell from their confines. Occasionally, Khrista thought she could see a peak of sunlight come through before the clouds closed up again.

At the bottom of the hole, Khrista caught sight of Ash -- now actually wearing his Sinnoh outfit and baseball cap -- standing with a certain Uxie by Ray's tail. The regular-colored Rayquaza was hovering near the spring green and white-lined Rayquaza that was part of White's team -- Sirius.

Nearby stood a familiar, brown-haired girl wearing a purple jacket with her back to them. She was looking up at the orange and black Rayquaza who called himself Quetzal.

"Hey!" Ash waved at the two Avatars as they approached, the Pikachu on his shoulder mimicking the movement. "About time you two got here! What took you so long?"

"I wasn't sure whether we should let Grace the Angeleon come along or not," Khrista replied as she came to a stop.

Grace, who had taken to the air when Khrista had run off after her cousin, landed in front of the still-human teen and grinned.

Ash's eyes widened in surprise. _"Angeleon_? I haven't heard of _that_ Pokemon before."

 _"The child is a rare Flying-Type breed,"_ Merlin agreed. He turned his attention to Khrista as a flash surrounded him for a moment. A red backpack and a belt with four PokeBalls and a Master Ball appeared in front of him. _"Here are the supplies you will need. Professor Rowan also asked me to bear a message: be careful and come back alive."_

"We will," Joshua replied with a nod.

Merlin gave a nod, then disappeared in a flash.

Khrista turned and looked up at Ray. "Hey, Ray! Are you up to coming with us?"

The Rayquaza looked down at his Trainer. _"Are you sure that it would be all right? I mean, what with the storm going on and all --"_

 _"It will be fine,"_ spoke up the bright green dragon near them. _"One is more than enough, now."_

Ray looked over at the other and gave a nod. _"If you say so, Sirius."_ He looked back down at Khrista. _"That settles that. I'm coming with you."_

 _"As am I,"_ spoke up the cobalt Rayquaza near them. _"I am not about to let my Trainer face those monsters alone, believe me."_

"I didn't expect you to," Joshua called back. "I've already got your Ball, anyway." He took a Great Ball from the belt around his waist and held it aloft.

"Show off," Khrista muttered.

"You didn't expect to go off without me, did you?"

Khrista turned her head and watched as an Areodactyl landed on the ground near them and a familiar, naturally red-eyed Trainer leapt off it.

"Red?" Ash frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"Yellow told me what you guys were up to," Red replied, walking over to his brother. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at his brother. "Did you really think that you were going to leave without me for this?"

"But Red --"

"I know what you're capable of," Red replied calmly. "But this is going to be dangerous, and _definitely_ not some game." He looked over at Khrista and Joshua with a particularly strong glare. "Are you really sure that you three are up to this?"

"Yes," Khrista and Ash stated. The two looked at each other in surprise upon hearing the other speak at the same time.

Red let out an annoyed sigh. "Professor Oak was right -- stubbornness does run in my family," he muttered under his breath. "I'm coming along with you guys to make sure my brother doesn't do anything stupid."

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed, indignant.

Pikachu grinned at the outburst. "Well, you _are_."

Khrista let out a sigh. "Fine. But I don't think that any more people would be a great idea. We could attract more attention than we want, so we're probably pushing it with four." In her left ear, the teen heard someone grumble under their breath, then remembered that Green's communication device had been left in her ear.

Red shrugged. "I'm still coming." He jumped onto Aero's back. "So, are we going or not?"

"We're definitely going," Khrista responded. Ray lowered his head near her so that she could climb up and sit down in the red circle on his head. "We're going to have to move fast if we want to rescue the Legendaries ASAP."

Joshua nodded in agreement as Corza lowered his head completely, allowing the boy to climb on. "Let's go."

**Spacial Break**

Cyrus awoke from his dreams with a gasp, sweating profoundly because of the nightmare he had just gone through. Within seconds, however, he had regained his bearings and realized that he was in a position that he didn't want to be in, Legendary fail-safe or not. Quickly, the Galactic began to search his pockets for the device he had obtained long ago, in case a situation like this arose.

Cyrus was forced to pause a moment later, realizing that someone was approaching the room he was presently trapped in.

The door opened a crack, and a short man with a balding head was pushed inside.

"Let's see how you like Dusk's nightmares!" came a sneering voice from outside the room. A moment later, the door was slammed shut.

The man got to his feet, dusting off his unmarked clothes. "Well, that was certainly unwelcoming."

"Wait and see what they'll do next," Cyrus replied drearily.

Charon looked up and, upon seeing the haggard look of the Galactic Leader, gave a false gasp of surprise. "Oh, my! This is certainly a surprise -- the mighty leader of the world, reduced to a sleepless state." He chuckled. "I didn't think things would end like this, what with Maria not appearing at all."

A deep scowl found its way easily onto Cyrus' face. "Don't talk to me of White. She isn't what we should worry about now. It's that uncontrollable Mew-child."

"Ah, yes. Her." Charon chuckled again. "Well, there seems to be at least _that_ in common with people from that girl's neighborhood. Almost every single one of them has some sort of trait that makes them absolutely unpredictable. I had hoped to find a way there myself so that I could see it in action, but my Warp Ring Portal seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the wreckage. I hope the Pokemon around here aren't going to _do_ anything with it."

"I wouldn't underestimate them, _Finitivus,"_ Cyrus sneered. "Especially considering who it is that they are allied to. That filthy --"

 _"You will not 'talk trash' about my Trainer and Exploration Guild Leader, Cyrus,"_ came a dark voice that seemed to reverberate throughout the room.

Something hit Cyrus in the back of the head, and he started to lose consciousness.

At the same time, he pressed a button on a device located in his pocket.

He felt something grab his arm, then nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My initial idea with Cyrus disappearing here was that Khrista was going to end up hunting him across the multiverse. I wasn't able to follow that through, though so I've turned to other ideas since then.
> 
> It's forced me to cut the number of Khrista-centric stories to 2, but hey. At least I still have Maria to work with.


	59. Arrival at the Frontier Ruins

"Whoo-hoo!" Khrista exclaimed, her hands in the air as Ray zoomed through the sky at high speed. "This is awesome!"

 _"I knew you would enjoy it,"_ Ray responded, a large grin on his face. _"Legendary or not, you can't fly this fast. Besides Latias and Latios, no one can fly as fast as a Rayquaza. We can cross the world in two days without stopping."_

"Exactly why I like to fly on you whenever I get the chance in the games," Khrista stated. "You guys are awesome Legendaries."

Ray let out a growl of pleasure at this. _"You're saying that because you met me first."_

"True, but that still doesn't hinder my enjoyment of watching you in battle." Khrista glanced back at Grace, who had her wings tucked closely against her sides like they wanted to be ripped away from her at any moment. "You okay back there?"

"Other than a little tired from flying, I'm fine," Grace responded. "Do you think we can go a little faster and get to this place sooner?"

 _"No,"_ Rayquaza responded. _"Charizard and Aero can only go so fast with riders, whether we have a Tailwind or not. I'm not going any faster than a quarter of Latios' speed."_

"Besides. Any faster and we could all be knocked off," Khrista added.

_"Indeed."_

Charizard flew up beside Rayquaza's head, Ash waving his hat to get their riders' attention. "We're getting pretty close, guys! I can see the volcano's smoke from here."

"And the ash has been going up my nose for the last minute!" Charizard added. A sneeze followed soon after, a ball of fire zooming from his mouth at high speed toward the sea below. "It's going to take me a little while to get used to that again."

Khrista smirked at the sight of the sneeze Charizard had produced, but it faded quickly. "I hope whoever's on the island didn't see that."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Ash responded carelessly. "If what happened in the tower affected everyone under Cyrus' command, Giovanni won't try to hold us back."

"Giovanni?" Red caught up with Ash, riding Aero. "He's down there?"

Ash nodded. "Cyrus wanted him to be as isolated as possible because he was White's adoptive uncle, so he dropped him on the island."

" _Adoptive?"_ Khrista repeated, looking over at the two Ketchum boys in surprise.

Red nodded. "Yeah. She just appeared one night in Pallet Town with a lost look on her face and a pretty firm idea that she didn't have any parents. I didn't figure out until recently that she'd actually come from some nasty future that a Darkrai had caused -- and she had stopped."

"Bad future with Darkrai?" Joshua repeated from the other side of the Ketchum boys. "That sounds like one of the games we have access to -- it's part of a series of Pokemon teams for either Rescue or Exploration."

 _"Guys,"_ Corza spoke up. _"We're here."_

Khrista looked down from her perch as Ray started to circle the island from above. "When Vapor called this place 'Frontier Ruins,' they weren't kidding," she realized. "It looks like Heatran blew Stark Mountain's top!"

Grace peered down, eyes widening. "There are Legendaries wandering about too! I can see a Latios taking laps around the island!"

Ray let out a growl. _"It's Rosa's brother, Triple S. One of the first that got caught, ironically."_

Grace frowned. "Triple S? What kind of name is that?"

"SuperSonicSpeed wouldn't fit in the blanks," Khrista supplied sheepishly, guessing as to who the Latios belonged to. "I'd had a but of a fan girl reaction when I saw his blue coloring --"

"That's not important right now," Aero stated quickly. "Where shall we land?"

Ash pointed down to an area of the island that still looked habitable, even though a large, crumbling building towered over it. "We have to land in the Fight Area, or else we'll attract a lot of unwanted attention from the Legendaries. We can meet up with the Rocket grunts there."

Khrista nodded. "Right. Down we go, then." Ray complied instantly, going down in a gentle descent, the others following suit.

As the group landed on the island, Pikachu's ears twitched, and he tightened his grip on Ash's shoulder.

"Something's wrong," he muttered. "It feels too quiet."

Pika, who was also sitting on Red's shoulder, nodded in agreement. "Like the entire island's been evacuated."

"Or everyone is in hiding," Aero noted. "Khrista and Joshua -- return your allies to their PokeBalls. They might have scared the locals."

Khrista exchanged a quick glance with Ray, who reluctantly complied, disappearing into his Master Ball, which was located on her belt in the "1st Pokemon" position. Corza disappeared twice as quickly.

"Now to find the Rockets," Grace remarked. She looked around, ears twitching, then asked, "Where do you guys think they're hiding?"

"Probably not the Tower," Khrista responded, motioning to the crumbling ruin. "It doesn't look like it could even stand a bird Pokemon landing on it."

"They left it up as a symbol," Ash explained. "Kind of like 'this'll happen to you if you don't listen'." He motioned to the small one-story huts that surrounded it. "There's most likely where the Rockets are."

"Let's check it out, then," Charizard suggested.

Khrista was starting to move towards the huts when Red stated, "I've got a better idea."

The Kanto Champion leaned into his brother's right ear and whispered something that only Ash, Pika, and Pikachu could hear. When he was done, all four of them exchanged grins that carried a secret joke about them.

Joshua looked between them, confusion clear on his face. "What are you going to do?"

"You'll see," Red responded mischievously. He turned and started for the huts, Ash following after him quickly.

Khrista and Joshua exchanged glances, then looked back as Ash and Red came to one of the huts, paused, and went inside.

A moment later, a loud scream ripped through the air, and an ominous _zap!_ could clearly be heard.

A moment later, a Galactic grunt with _orange_ hair instead of green ran out of the huts looking like he'd been given an afro. Red and Ash followed after him, laughing.

"And that's for what happened in Sunnyshore!" Red called after him. "Man, White looked annoyed after that!"

There was movement at the entrances to the other huts, and figure started to step out in order to see what the noise had been. Most of them were Rockets that looked like they could use a bath, but there were one or two annoyed Galactics scowling and glaring around.

As soon as they caught sight of Ash, Red, Khrista, Joshua, and Grace, the lot of them froze in surprise.

"Cyrus' citadel has collapsed!" Red called out. "We've got him with Darkrai!"

The Galactic grunts glared at Red and started to approach, but Pika released a Thunderbolt that kept them from getting too close.

"You're not in control anymore," Ash growled, pointing an accusing finger at the Galactics. He glanced back at Khrista. "Could you teleport them to the Underground?"

"I might be able to," Khrista replied thoughtfully. Her shirt shifted from the dull red with yellow Master Ball graphic to a bright gold.

"You might want to hurry, though," Joshua added, glancing up at the storm clouds above them. "We may have beat the fire by getting here, but it'll probably start coming down pretty soon."

"Fire raining from the heavens?"

Khrista turned her attention to the one who had spoken and caught sight of a familiar man looking _really_ uncomfortable in a Rocket grunt uniform.

"That shouldn't be possible," Giovanni stated with a shake of his head.

"It is," Khrista replied,taking a few steps forward. "And those huts of yours probably aren't going to last for long. I could Teleport you to the Underground directly and get you out of harm's way."

"You? Teleport?" Giovanni was intrigued by this. "Do you have a Psychic-Type with that kind of power?"

Khrista shook her head. "It's part of me being an Avatar." She looked around the clearing. "We've got Cyrus imprisoned in our HQ, and we're here to take care of Cyrus' top Legendaries, and the least I could do for you guys is get you out of harm's way before things get ugly."

The Rocket grunts started to murmur among themselves out of surprise, a minor look of shock on Giovanni's face.

"Cyrus has been defeated?" the Rocket leader finally asked, as the previous statements finally hit him.

Joshua nodded. "His tower collapsed two days ago, when the storm started."

"So, are you going to take my offer or not?" Khrista inquired.

"I want to know how they're going to react," Giovanni stated.

"You'll get food and shelter," Red responded. "We've been keeping an eye on your Pokemon, as well, so if you behave, you might get your team back and be able to take challenges from other-world Trainers. If you do something idiotic, we'll lock you in one of our makeshift prisons."

Giovanni nodded. "Reasonable. All right, girl."

Khrista smirked. "Next stop, the Underground!" She threw a sphere of pink energy at the group, causing them to vanish in a flash of light.

**Spacial Break**

"...and so, I believe that Augustine's previous suspicions were correct; there _is_ another Pokemon Type in the world."

"But Birch, that's going to throw my charts out the window!"

Birch shook his head. "Charts, schmarts. Field work is always the best way to find strengths and weaknesses, Samuel."

Professor Oak became flustered. "Well, yes, but --"

The Professor was suddenly cut off when a flash of light briefly illuminated the Square, fading away just as quickly. Oak and Birch soon found themselves bristling as a familiar figure approached.

"Giovanni!" Oak identified. "What are you --"

"We were just teleported here from that infernal island," Giovanni stated, irritated. "Although I am thankful to them for getting us out, I am curious as to who those two children Ash and Red brought with them were."

Birch and Oak paused and looked at each other in surprise.

"Let me guess...." Birch frowned thoughtfully. "One was a girl with brown hair and blue eyes, and the other was a boy with brown hair and hazel eyes with green specs."

"Yes, yes," Giovanni responded. "And the girl's shirt seemed to change color when she teleported us here."

"The girl is Khrista, and the boy is her cousin, Joshua," Oak replied somewhat seriously. "Both of them played a large part in bringing down Cyrus' regime."

"Mere children?" Giovanni raised an eyebrow.

"Need I remind you that White was merely ten when she destroyed _you?_ "

"Besides, the two of them are Avatars, so that makes them more qualified in my book," Birch replied boldly.

"I find that doesn't say much for you," Giovanni replied flatly. He motioned to the other side of the Square, where a large group of Rocket grunts were staying in a tight group in order to stay away from anyone that might threaten them. "We were informed that we might receive shelter and food -- perhaps better than what we had been receiving." The last part of his statement came out in a growl.

"We'll see what we can do, but at this point, our stores are starting to run out," Oak replied moodily. "We can only hope that the surface will become inhabitable soon -- and have grown at least _something._ "

"Hey!"

The two Professors and the Rocket leader looked back at the cord of grunts. A figure standing in front of them help up two figures by he collars of their strange, space-suit like uniforms.

"What do you want us to do with these guys?" the Rocket grunt demanded, shaking the unconscious Galactic grunts. It looked like one of them had an orange afro on top of his head.

Oak's eyes widened. "We'll need to find Cynthia to keep an eye on those two. She's most likely sparring with someone at this time of day.... Follow me, and keep close." With that, the Professor dashed off, Giovanni and his black-uniformed troop following.

As the group ran off, Birch turned to look at Merlin and Rowan, who had been observing the interaction from a distance away. "You two wouldn't happen to know anything about this new Fairy-Type, do you?"


	60. Changed Legendaries

Khrista dove behind the remains of a tree as a bright pink Shaymin with dark blue flowers scurried by. A moment later, Grace tackled the Legendary, calling out, "Shay!"

The Grass-Type jumped in alarm at the sound of the Angeleon's voice, then tried to back up, only for Grace to catch her in a bear hug and held her down.

"Get off me!" Shay snarled, scrambling out of the Angeleon's grip. Then she dashed off before Grace could grab the Legendary again.

Grace frowned at the retreating Grass-Type. "What was _that_ about?"

"It probably has something to do with the...their exposure to the Red Chain," Joshua responded, glancing over at Red and Ash as he paused. "Maybe it changed her attitude."

Ash shrugged, then looked at Khrista, who was still crouched behind the tree. "I don't see why you have to hide back there."

"You never know when one of those Pokemon is going to become hostile," the teen retorted, getting up from her hiding place. "Triple S has been passing over our heads and attacking whatever he might find suitable to be a target."

A blue blur passed over their heads and veered towards Ash, but then slashed the remains of the tree Khrista was behind to pieces.

"See?" Khrista's voice came out in a slight squeak. "That's six times, now."

"Let's just keep moving," Red suggested. "We still have that storm to worry about, too."

"Right," Ash agreed. He promptly took off in a dash. "Last one to Stark Mountain is a rotten Exeggcute!"

Red shook his head in amusement. "Still acts like a ten-year-old," he muttered before taking off after his brother. Joshua and the other two quickly followed, Khrista keeping an eye out for any more Legendaries that might cross their path.

"How do you think we're going to change them back?" Khrista asked Red, motioning in the direction the Shaymin had gone.

"Dialga and Palkia might know," the Kanto Champion responded. "Either that, or Ash could figure something out. Red Chain's control or not, he did put them under in the first place."

Khrista jumped up as she shifted to Flying-Type. "Electricity might have something to do with it. I shook Ash loose with a GigaVolt; maybe a less powerful one might do the same thing."

"You're not releasing anything electrical," Grace responded from where she flew to Khrista's left. "Even with four Electric-Types to help, you were out for two days. And didn't Sparkler say something about Ash having some electricity left in him, too?"

Red looked at the Angeleon in confusion. "What?"

Joshua also looked intrigued. "Have you been hiding something from us, Khrista?"

Khrista smiled nervously at her traveling companions. "I only learned it recently myself. According to Pikachu, Ash has some of the GigaVolt electricity left in his system. Liz's Raichu, Sparkler, said it felt as powerful as Zapdos' reserves. He probably hasn't figured out how to use it yet, though."

Red shook his head. "Great. Looks like Pikachu won't be able to wake up Ash in the morning like he used to."

"Unless he wants to give him a sugar rush," Joshua responded, pointing ahead. "Pikachu's been zapping Ash at regular intervals, and it seems to be keeping him going at a faster speed than humanly possible."

"Probably the electricity," Khrista confirmed.

By the time they had caught up to Ash, the Trainer was sitting a cave at the base of Stark Mountain. Taking note of their arrival, the Trainer got up, a relaxed smile on his face.

"Hey, guys," Ash greeted. "What took you so long?"

"We ran at a normal human pace, in case you didn't notice," Red responded with a smirk. "Pikachu's Thunderbolt didn't hurt, did it?"

Ash shook his head. "It felt like I had just eaten a RageCandyBar or something like that."

"That probably has something to do with the electricity buildup inside you," Joshua noted. Noticing the look Ash was giving him, he explained, "Khrista told us what was going on. In my opinion, I think you've probably become part Pokemon."

Ash's eyes widened. "Seriously? I'm part Pokemon?"

"Probably," Joshua repeated. "It will take some time to figure out how to activate your newfound abilities, but for now, we've got a couple Legendaries to face."

Pikachu nodded in agreement. "We're going to have to move fast. The pressure had already started to drop, and whatever static there is in the air has gone up. A lot."

Red glanced over in the direction they had come from, eyes widening upon seeing the storm front that was coming their way. "Let's get into the volcano and start looking for those Legendaries."

Khrista moved to stand in the entrance to the volcano. "I know the geography from the games' situation, but if the Legendaries changed the maze past here with their abilities, then my knowledge won't be of any help."

"They probably turned it into a Mystery Dungeon," Joshua replied. "We probably should split up into groups so that at least some of us reach them and start fighting them."

"Ash and I are staying together," Red said immediately.

Khrista grinned at her cousin, only to find that he was frowning. "What? Not excited to go along with your cousin?"

"It's not that," Joshua responded. "Ash should probably go with Khrista, Red. If his powers start to manifest, he's going to need someone who can help him get some basic skills learned."

The two brothers looked at each other, considering Joshua's suggestion. A few seconds later, Ash grinned and nodded.

"What about me?" Grace piped up, looking concerned. "You guys might have partners to hang around with, but I don't!"

"You can come with me and Joshua," Red replied, holding out a hand. "You'll probably be safer with us than those two misfits."

"Hey!" Khrista exclaimed, annoyed.

"I've got an idea!" Ash exclaimed suddenly, having completely ignored the jibe. "Let's make this a race -- first ones to the top get dibs at battling the Legendaries!"

The other three humans, Pikachu, and Grace looked at the Kanto Trainer. A moment later, a grin came over Khrista's face.

"Yeah! I like the idea!" Khrista started towards the cave entrance. "Let's move!"

The two groups then dashed inside, right as hail started to fall....

**Spacial Break**

Dialga stirred as he awakened from momentary slumber, something abnormal setting off alarms at the back of his head. **_-Intruders-_** he growled.

Palkia stirred as well, the dark red gem on his shoulder glinting dangerously in the dim light. **-Three space distortions. Two humans, one Pokemon, summoned by the Master. And one more, who has been changed-** The Legendary turned his head to look at Dialga. **-The Ketchum boy is no longer under the control of the Master-**

Dialga's eyes narrowed. **_-We shall bring him back-_** The orange gem on his chest began to glow.

 **-That will not succeed-** Palkia warned. **-Another power has taken its place. It is the distortions we should watch-**

Dialga's orange gem stopped glowing. **_-The distortions? Of what use is that?-_**

** -They carry abilities that no other holds. One, though weak, carries great power, and one more has discovered theirs, while the last has yet to learn of her full potential- **

Dialga snorted. **_-Mere otherworlders with abilities far weaker than ours-_**

** -They are not to be underestimated, brother. Each carries a power that rivals that of a Legendary, and teams of Pokemon that could easily defeat us- **

Dialga's face contorted into what could have been a sneer. **_-Then we shall make a team of our own-_**


	61. Stark Mountain

Khrista ducked as a Flamethrower was blown in her direction, only for her to blast a Hydro Pump at the Magmortar the Fire Attack had come from.

"Magmortar didn't used to live in these caves! The only Fire-Types I had to worry about were Slugma, Magcargo, and the occasional Torkoal." She nodded in approval to Vapor as he forced a Graveler back with a Hydro Pump of his own. "And the regulars have gotten tougher, too."

"This is tough?" Vapor asked, amused. "That Graveler attacked with the power of a Geodude, and you call him tough? I'll believe that when I start seeing Golem."

"Don't say that too soon," Pikachu warned. "You've probably just jinxed us."

"Try to relax, Pikachu," Ash responded. "There's no way a Golem could live here."

As if on cue, three Golem fell from the cave ceiling and landed in front of them.

Khrista let out a sigh of annoyance. "Vapor, let's take these guys."

**Spacial Break**

"Hit it with Ice Punch!" Red ordered his Poliwrath, pointing at the Graveler in front of him. The Water/Fighting-Type complied instantly, slamming into the Rock/Ground-Type with enough power to send the wild Pokemon tumbling backwards, completely encased in ice.

Red nodded in approval to his Pokemon, then glared at Joshua. "You could be of more help, you know. Out of all the Trainers I've worked with, you have to be the laziest."

"I'm simply waiting for the most opportune time," Joshua responded coolly. Tossing out a PokeBall, he stated, "Caleb, use Heal Pulse on Poli."

There was a bright green flash as the move emerged with the Pokemon, hitting Poli and allowing the Kanto Pokemon to recover some energy.

"Heal Pulse?" Red asked, curious.

"A recently discovered move. Very handy if you don't have any Potions with you." Joshua nodded to the Lucario. "We're going to need your help against these Rock-Types that are wandering around."

Caleb nodded. "Rock-Types are nothing to a Pokemon like me." A smirk appeared on his face.

"You have any idea how close we are to the Legendaries?" Red asked as he looked deeper into the cavern. "I've heard that Lucario can sense the aura of both people and Pokemon. If you can tell how far away they are --"

"I may be an Aura Seer, but I'm afraid that I can't." Caleb shook his head. "There's something blocking me from seeing anything with my Aura Sight."

Poli grumbled something under his breath that no one could decipher, but Red had a pretty good idea of what his first Pokemon was saying.

"There isn't much we can do about that right now," the Kanto Champion reasoned. "We should keep moving -- we don't want to stay in the same place for too long."

"Right," Joshua agreed. He promptly began to move forward, Caleb at his side, ready for an attack from anywhere.

**Spacial Break**

Khrista let out a low growl, glaring at the Golem that had decided to take a nap in their path. "Hydro Pump!"

The blast sent the Pokemon rocketing down the tunnel, coming to a stop only when it hit a wall.

"These guys are becoming as common as Zubat," she muttered. "Now you see what Pikachu meant, Vapor?"

The Water-Type standing behind her nodded. "Yeah. Note to self: don't say anything stupid while in Stark Mountain."

Ash nodded. "You're not the only one with that problem. Everywhere I go, I jinx something."

Pikachu chuckled knowingly in agreement.

Khrista smirked, then motioned for the group to continue on, taking a few steps forward as she did so. "We probably don't have far to go. If the Golem have begun to appear more frequently, we could be pretty deep in already."

**"I wouldn't be so sure about that."**

Khrista jumped back as a Rhyperior jumped down and landed where she had been standing a second before. The Pokemon looked like it had gone though a few buckets of paint, because it was almost completely white, except for a golden horn, bright yellow armor pads, and green eyes.

Khrista's eyes widened. "What happened to you?"

 **"A second chance."** The Rhyperior took a step forward, one hand outstretched. **"My master has offered me a second chance to once again live among my brethren. All he asks is that you come along quietly with me to meet him."**

"Trap," Pikachu muttered under his breath.

Khrista, hearing what Pikachu said, let out a short chuckle. "Come quietly? First, you must inform me of where we're going."

The Rhyperior seemed confused. **"We? I only came for you. Master Palkia only has an interest in you."**

Khrista was taken aback by this. "Only interested in me?" She shook off her shock and stated, "Look, buddy, I'm not going quietly to your master, whether he has an interest in me or not. We came here to free him from the Red Chain. So there!"

The Rhyperior's eyes narrowed. **"He has learned much from that which binds him. Behold my power!"**

The Pokemon raised his arms above his head, and, much to everyone's surprise, a ball of electricity formed above him. Without any problem, the Rhyperior threw the ball at Vapor, who was saved from being KO'd by Ash jumping in the way and absorbing the attack.

"Have a taste of your own medicine!" Ash barked, throwing a smaller ball of electricity at the Rhyperior.

It hit its mark, and the large Pokemon flinched back and held a paw over his stomach.

Khrista's eyes widened, but she quickly composed herself and grabbed two PokeBalls from her belt. "Vapor, return! Raichu! Get out here!"

The Water-Type disappeared in a flash of red as the Electric-Type appeared.

Raichu stiffened as soon as she saw the Rhyperior, which was being pushed back by Pikachu's spontaneous Volt Tackle. "Why did you bring me out against a Rhyperior?"

"He's part Electric," Ash called out. "Palkia probably did something to him."

"And it looks like he's weak to it, too," Khrista added. "Think you could try giving him a good zap?"

Raichu cocked her head to one side, then gained a sinister grin as her cheeks started to spark. "I've been meaning to try this one out for a while now!"

She raised her tail and started to swing it around, releasing a ring of electricity that promptly went flying through the air and down around the Rhyperior.

As soon as the electricity touched the Rhyperior's body, the former Ground/Rock-Type let out a _scream_ of pain that caused the attacking group to flinch back and cover their ears.

It didn't take long for the scream to peter out, though, and the Rhyperior collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily, still trapped in the electric coils.

Khrista gave Raichu a look of surprise. "Where did you learn that?"

Raichu shrugged. "I taught myself it while I was trying to figure out a way to turn Shock Wave into a binding attack, too."

At the back of Khrista's mind, _something_ shuddered, but Khrista put it off as a chill breeze moving through the area.

Khrista nodded in approval, then turned and looked at Ash, whose hands were letting off sparks. "Well, it looks like your powers are up and running."

Ash nodded in agreement, lifting up his hands to get a better look at the sparks. "But how am I going to turn it off?"

"Focus on disconnecting from it," Pikachu suggested. "Either that, or find something to release it on."

Ash frowned, then closed his eyes tightly, clenching his fists tightly.

Raichu moved to face the electrically-bound Rhyperior as the Trainer concentrated. Grace, who had been standing off to the side, flew over to her as Khrista, shifting her shirt to a bright orange, moved over and started to push the Rhyperior out of the path with the Angeleon's and the Electric-Type's help.

 **"Master Palkia will make you wish you hadn't done that,"** the Rhyperior snarled at them.

"Shut it," Khrista responded. "We'll see him soon enough."

**Spacial Break**

Meanwhile, Red and Joshua were facing the same sort of problem, but not in the form of a Rhyperior -- it was a Dusknoir instead.

 ** _"You mere Trainers are no match for my Master,"_** the Pokemon snarled, tossing Joshua's Lucario at a cave wall. **_"They have more power than you can possibly imagine."_**

Red rolled his eyes in boredom. "Gee, where have I heard that before? Pika, finish him off."

The Electric-Type nodded. "Right. Thunder!"

The attack zipped towards Dusknoir and smashed into it, causing the Pokemon to howl in pain.

Joshua raised his eyebrows in surprise, watching from where he knelt next to Caleb. "I didn't think that move would affect that Pokemon so much." He handed his Pokemon an Oran Berry, giving the Fighting/Steel-Type enough energy to get back up on his feet. "Moves like Shadow Ball and Shadow Claw have been known to be super-effective."

Red frowned. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe this one is part Flying."

"Doubt it. All Dusknor have the same Typing."

As Pika halted his attack, the Dusknoir fell to the cave floor, breathing heavily, arcs of electricity moving from one section of the Pokemon's form to another.

As it wheezed, the Pokemon said, **_"Master Palkia changed me and my fellow agents. My original 'Typing,' as you call it, has been exchanged for a different one. I have access to incredible...power...."_** The Pokemon trailed off as he lost consciousness.

Caleb shook his head. "The gods are mad," he declared. "No Pokemon should have their abilities changed -- truly, it would drive _me_ mad."

"Just to change a Pokemon's Type alone goes against nature," Pika agreed.

Joshua nodded. "We need to keep moving. If we ran into a Pokemon like this here, the others are probably having trouble with them, too. And where there's one, there's probably more." Returning Caleb to his PokeBall, he dashed off, ignoring the looks Red and Pika were giving him and each other.

**Spacial Break**

Khrista and Ash kept moving forward down the corridor and nearly turned a corner in tunnel when Grace suddenly spoke up.

"Wait!"

The two Trainers turned to look back at the Angeleon, who had both her ears straight up.

"There's something coming from down that tunnel," Grace stated urgently. "We'd better be careful -- it could be another Pokemon like that Rhyperior."

"Rhyperior?" a voice repeated.

Joshua and Red stepped out of the darkness of the tunnel ahead of them, a Lucario to Joshua's right and Pika on the Champion's shoulder.

"We were attacked by a Dusknoir," Red continued. "Palkia messed up its Type so badly, Pika's Thunder attack was super-effective."

"We fought a Rhyperior that was part Electric," Khrista explained. "Electric-Types were super-effective on _him,_ and Ash has been sparking on and off ever since."

"I've held it back for the most part," Ash muttered. A few sparks jumped off the Trainer's fingers. "That Rhyperior's Electro Ball is still trying to get out." He looked around the tunnel. "Where's the end of all this?"

"Just up ahead," Joshua replied, pointing with his thumb behind him. "We were about to climb a set of stairs when Caleb was finally able to use his Aura Sight and found you."

"Really?" Khrista blinked in surprise. "Could you show us?"

The boys gave a nod, then turned and walked into the tunnel again. Khrista and Ash followed after them with Grace, Raichu, and Pikachu.

The group soon arrived in a small cavern with multiple tunnels branching off and roughly-cut stairs leading up from the floor in the center of the room.

Khrista walked over and tried to peer up the stairs. "It looks like the passageway up ahead has been blocked off by a trap door...." She looked at Ash. "You want to release some energy and blow it open?" The teen moved clear of the stairs to allow Ash a clear shot at the blockage.

The Kanto Trainer moved to stand in front of the stairs, eyeing the object at the end. "It looks like a Golem dropped a large boulder up there," he remarked.

Pikachu let out a groan. "Don't start."

Khrista shook her head, chuckling. "Can you blast it? Or do I need to call on Linoone and have him use Strength?"

"No; I think I got it." Ash got ready to fire an attack. A look of intense concentration on his face as he held his hands out in front of him.

The electricity in his body responded instantly, sparking from his hands as it formed into a ball. When it got to the size Ash wanted it to be, the Kanto Trainer pushed. The Electro Ball responded instantly, zooming up the stairs.

The boulder didn't stand a chance -- it exploded on contact with the electricity.

Ash jumped back as a few small rocks tumbled down the stairs. "Looks like we can head up."

Pikachu nodded in agreement. "What do you think is past here?"

Khrista was about to answer when she felt a presence brush against her mind, and she stiffened. "I'm getting the feeling that they know we're coming."

"We've been trashing this place for the past what, half an hour?" Joshua sighed with annoyance. "Of course they'd know we're coming."

Khrista shuddered. "That wasn't what gave me the hint. I think...one of the two is mentally searching for where we are."

** -You are correct- **

Everyone jumped at the sound of the voice, except for Ash, who stared at the ceiling.

"Palkia," the Kanto Trainer muttered.

** -Greetings, Ketchum. My brother and I have awaited your arrival since you set foot on the island- **

Khrista got in front of the stairs. "Well, we're coming up to knock the Red Chain loose whether you like it or not!"

**_-Hold-_ **

Everyone (minus Ash) jumped as a new voice resounded.

**_-We must first test you. If you are prepared to face us, face the last three of our agents first-_ **

Joshua frowned. "That was Dialga, wasn't it?"

Ash nodded. "The agents he mentioned must be like the two we fought earlier -- the Pokemon with the messed-up Types."

**"And they weren't the only ones."**

The group turned quickly in order to find the source of the voice, only to find themselves staring at three Pokemon -- a Skuntank, a Weezing, and a Golbat.

Khrista's eyes narrowed. "Great. Team Skull got messed with, too."

Ash gave her a curious look. "You know these guys?"

"Maria complained about them every time she played her Mystery Dungeon game." Khrista pulled out two PokeBall and tossed them out. "Vapor, hit Golbat with Aurora Beam! Linoone, you've got Skuntank -- use Rock Smash!"

Vapor reared back and unleashed a colorful beam of cold at the Golbat, who ended up getting a mouthful.

Linoone let out a howl and was about to run forward when Caleb stepped in front of him.

"Don't; I've got this," the Lucario stated. He got into an iconic stance and started to form a ball of blue energy between his paws.

Golbat spat out Aurora Beam and let out a laugh while the Weezing unleashed a raspberry. **"That stuff doesn't hurt us anymore!"**

Khrista gritted her teeth. "Hydro Pump him."

Vapor didn't even look back or cry out this time as he fired the attack. A large blast of water was sent out and slammed into Golbat's mouth again while a small spurt from the main section slipped into Weezing's face.

"Aura Sphere!"

 _Bam!_ Skuntank was hit in the face by a large blue orb of energy. The Dark/Poison-Type shook his head and growled weakly before collapsing. The comic swirls that took the place of his face signaled that he'd been hit with a one-hit KO.

"ExtremeSpeed into a Close Combat," Joshua added, motioning to the Weezing. "That should take it out."

Caleb nodded, then dashed forward and started punching and kicking Weezing, sending the Pokemon into a cave wall.

Vapor and Khrista, meanwhile, were still glaring at Golbat, who was reeling about like a drunken sailor, his mouth full to the brim with water. Finally, the water was spat out, and the Pokemon made as though to attack the Vaporeon, but he collapsed before getting there.

"That was way too easy," Vapor muttered, frowning.

"Don't let your guard down," Ash warned. He looked up the stairs at the cavern above them. "We still have a couple Legendaries to take out."

Khrista nodded in agreement as she returned Linoone and Vapor to their PokeBalls.

"Let's go," Joshua stated. He started for the stairs, and the rest of the group followed.


	62. vs. Primals Dialga and Palkia

Grace looked around the empty cavern, a frown on her face. "Are you sure they're up here?"

"I'm certain," Khrista confirmed. "I can sense their presence. It feels like they're breathing down the back of my neck."

_"You have yet to completely hone your Aura sense, it seems."_

The group turned, catching sight of a tired-looking Heatran, which was chained to their end of the cavern.

 _"They have hidden themselves so well, that you won't know where they are until they attack you,"_ the Heatran added.

A scowl came over the Angeleon's face. "Oh, great. How are we going to find them before they find us?"

Heatran shrugged. _"I'm afraid that there, I cannot help you. Perhaps you can harness your Aura sense a little better, and find them that way."_

Khrista's eyes narrowed, then she turned to face the rest of the cavern, closed her eyes, and concentrated on finding the lifesource of the two Legendary Pokemon. As she concentrated, her shirt shifted to an orange and gold combination -- Fighting and Psychic.

At first, Khrista didn't see anything that signified Aura, but as she became more determined, the blue energy that signified Aura began to flicker into focus.

Suddenly, the Aura seemed to explode -- the entire cavern was covered in it. Khrista stumbled back in surprise, blinking her eyes open in order to get rid of the blue flashes that now flickered in her vision.

"They've taken precautions against Aura Sight," Khrista told the others. "Palkia probably spread their Aura all over the place to guard against anyone trying to find them that way."

Joshua frowned. "Then we'll have to find another way -- before they descend on us." He looked at Heatran. "Did they do that to you?"

The Pokemon shook his head. _"This place, despite what those two have done, is still my home. I can sense where Pokemon stand, and how the lava responds. However, now that they know of my powers, they steer clear of the ground."_

Khrista looked up. "Steer clear of the ground, huh?" Her shirt shifted to sky blue, and she rose into the air, the winds coming to her bidding. Tornadoes came and went swiftly, going around the cave in strange patterns, almost completely filling up the room with dust kicked up from the rocky floor.

Heatran's eyes widened with surprise. _"The rocks told me she was a fighter, but this I wasn't expecting."_

"That's my cousin for you," Joshua responded. He suddenly flinched, grabbing his head with his left hand. "Something big is going to happen soon. I suggest you stay as close to the wall as possib--aak!"

Khrista turned sharply in the air, eyes widening as soon as she caught sight of Palkia's strange, giant red paw gripping her cousin, the rest of the giant dragon appearing from the shadows.

"Hey, you!" Khrista barked, pointing at the dragon. "Let go of my cousin!"

 **-He knows more than he should-** Palkia growled in response, his now dark red gem shining. **-This human you call your "cousin" deserves to disappear from existence. As do you-**

"Like I will," Khrista growled in response. She reached for the PokeBalls on her belt, but a force stopped her -- like their was a force field around her waist.

 ** _-You may only choose one of yours to battle us-_** Dialga explained, his orange gem shining as he kept Khrista's hand from reaching her PokeBalls. **_-If you choose anything more, we will destroy you slowly-_**

The force field suddenly disappeared, and Khrista's arm dropped to her side.

Ash and Red exchanged quick glances, then nodded to the Electric-Types on their shoulders.

"We choose Pika/Pikachu!" the two called out.

 **-You are not bound-** Palkia growled in response. **-She is-**

"And I've made my decision," Khrista responded. She grabbed the only Master Ball on her belt. "Ray, let's go!"

The Dragon/Flying-Type appeared beside his Trainer, looking around the cave in momentary confusion. As soon as he laid eyes on Dialga and Palkia, he let out a growl.

 **-You are only allowed to use this Pokemon-** Palkia stated. **-If it faints, your life and your cousin's life are forfeit-**

Ray looked at Khrista sharply, surprise in his eyes. _"What?!"_

Khrista closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "You're the only one of the Pokemon I have with me that has a move that could take them both out within one hit. Vapor may be able to do that, but she doesn't have that much power. Besides, I trust you to pull through, Ray."

Ray's eyes widened, and he looked back at Palkia. _"Well, I'm not doing anything until you put him down."_ He let out a low growl to accent his point.

Palkia gave him a bored look. **-You need not be alarmed. The boy will not be harmed unless I wish it to be so-** He let go of Joshua, only for the teen to be suddenly encased in a giant bubble. **-Choose the creature which will fight for your life, boy-**

"I already have," Joshua responded. "Caleb. You know what to do."

The Fighting/Steel-Type nodded. "Right. Let's go." He moved to stand in front of Dialga, glaring daggers at the Legendary.

 ** _-Whenever you feel ready-_** Dialga stated. He moved over to one area of the cavern and landed on the ground, Palkia doing the same.

Khrista and Ray moved as one, placing themselves in front of Palkia, while Caleb dashed forward to stand in front of Dialga again.

"Hah!" Caleb shouted, throwing an Aura Sphere in Dialga's direction.

Almost instantly, the large dragon unleashed a roar that Khrista felt almost tore her apart limb from limb. The Aura Sphere quickly dissipated as the roar echoed throughout the cavern, pelting Khrista, Ray, and Caleb with its remains.

"That was Roar of Time!" Khrista identified. "He won't be moving again for a while! Ray, concentrate your fire on Palkia! Dragon Pulse!"

Ray reared back and fired on the giant formerly-pink (now red) Legendary, only for Palkia to create a rip of space in front of him, causing the attack to disappear.

Khrista let out a growl. "Great. I should have realized that Palkia still had Spacial Rend in his arsenal." She considered firing off an attack of her own, but thought better of it -- her cousin was powerless, and certainly didn't _seem_ to be able to throw attacks around at random.

Lucario was quick to move again -- he fired off a Dragon Pulse this time, once again in Dialga's direction. Ray was quick to attack, as well, firing off a Dragon Pulse himself. Khrista's eyes sparked with delight upon seeing that both moves hit their mark -- apparently, Spacial Rend forced Palkia to recharge in this world.

 _"Careful,"_ Joshua's voice suddenly echoed in her head. _"That won't do much against them at this point."_

 _Well, what do you suggest I do, then?_ Khrista responded. _And since when can you use Telepathy?_

 _"Ask me later, when this is over and done with. Look, the Red Chain is going to take a lot of power to take out. If you want to take them out, you_ have _to use the most powerful attack you have. I can't release Corza from his PokeBall, but you and Rayquaza can still use Draco Meteor together."_

Khrista's eyes narrowed as Dialga's orange gem started to flash; it was likely that the Legendary was back up at full power. "Ray, when I say so, don't hold anything back when we use Draco Meteor."

Ray shot her a look, but said nothing.

"And...stay out of my way for a moment. I want to get a few hits in." Khrista moved in front of Ray, her shirt starting to become royal blue, only to stop halfway through, becoming a Dual-Type Dragon/Flying swirl.

Taking in a breath, Khrista gathered what anger she had in her, and attacked Dialga.

Outrage in and of itself is a powerful attack, but when combined with a need to take out your foe for the sake of the world's survival, it gains even more power.

Khrista wasn't aware of this -- all she wanted to do at this point was take out the Legendary before he could do any further damage.

Ray's eyes widened as he watched his Trainer, a maniacal grin on her face, as she used the move that he had almost killed her with. _"Stop! You're going to kill yourself!"_

"I know what I'm doing," Khrista snarled in response. Her hits started to become more erratic as her strength began to deplete, but Dialga was still flinching.

 _"She's going to do something foolish,"_ the Legendary muttered. _"Khrista, stop!"_

Khrista ignored her Pokemon, letting out a growl in response. Her attack switched from Outrage to Dragon Claw, slashing Dialga's orange gem -- most likely an attempt to break it.

Dialga let out a howl of pain, thrashing around as he tried to avoid Khrista's attacks. Unfortunately, this only led to Khrista attacking Palkia with the same ferocity, hitting the red gem on the creature's shoulder.

 _"Khrista, stop!"_ Ray repeated. _"That's enough!"_

Gradually, Khrista's attacks began to slow as she regained her surroundings. Upon realizing how close she was to the Spacial Legendary, she retreated to Ray's side, eyes wide.

"Thanks," she panted, looking a little worse for the wear.

 _"You needed to be snapped out of it,"_ Ray responded. _"Now, are we going to use Draco Meteor?"_

 _"No,"_ Joshua responded. _"We need to give the others a turn before we take them out. Despite Khrista's efforts, they are still too strong to take out in one move."_

"Hey, guys!" Khrista called down. "You're up!"

Ash and Red exchanged glances, then ran in front of Dialga and Palkia, Saur in front of the Dragon/Water-Type, and Charizard in front of the Dragon/Steel-Type.

"Flamethrower!" Ash ordered.

"Power Whip!" Red called out.

Charizard reared back and fired off a stream of fire that could have rivaled anything Moltres could have cooked up, while Saur threw a giant vine whip that looked like it was exerting green energy.

Dialga, who was actually looking worse for the wear, let out a Roar of Time that caused the flamethrower to scatter, but Palkia ended up taking the hit from the Power Whip, which Khrista found surprising.

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Fire Blast!"

"Let's do a Razor Leaf!" Red called.

This time, the Fire Blast hit Dialga square in the chest, while Palkia caused the Razor Leaf to go through one rip in space and out another right behind Charizard.

"Ow!" Charizard yelped. "Not funny!"

"Ignore it, Charizard," Ash stated. "Try another Flamethrower!"

"Frenzy Plant!" Red ordered.

Once again, the Flamethrower's power was scattered with Dialga's roar.

Unfortunately, Frenzy Plant didn't hit its mark, either -- instead, Palkia slashed through it with a Dragon Claw, which also hit Saur.

 **-Insolent pests-** Palkia snarled. **-These Pokemon alone do not have a power that rivals ours-**

"Infernape!" Ash called out, releasing the Fire/Fighting-Type. "Fire Spin! And Charizard -- use Fire Blast!"

"Pika, use Thunder!"

Palkia shook his head, another Spacial Rend causing the Electric-Type attack to go behind the Ketchum brothers. Dialga took the two fiery hits, but no burn or fiery cyclone were left behind.

"Look out!" Ash shouted, pushing Red out of the way as the Thunder was sent toward them. He absorbed the attack, then turned to glare at Palkia. "Take this!"

A large ball of electricity blasted out of him, hitting the Legendary in the chest, causing the Water/Dragon-Type to flinch in surprise.

"Infernape, use Flare Blitz!" Ash ordered, motioning the Fire/Fighting-Type forward. "Charizard, fall back and take a breather!"

The fire monkey saluted, then charged at Dialga, who looked like he was ready to claw at the Fire/Fighting-Type. However, Infernape managed to avoid the Dragon Claw, hitting the Legendary in one of its legs. As he retreated, a large flame coursed up Dialga's leg, only dissipating when it reached his gem.

 _"That should do it,"_ Joshua stated. _"Whenever you're ready, Khrista."_

Khrista nodded in response. "You up to it, Ray?"

Ray nodded. _"I have enough energy to send Kyogre and Groudon to kingdom come if I have to."_ He grinned at his Trainer. _"Are you?"_

Khrista let out a breath. "Give me a minute." She closed her eyes and concentrated on bringing her Dragon power together in her core. To her surprise, it responded instantly, gathering together to the point of exploding out of her. "Now, Ray!"

 ** _"Draco Meteor!"_** the two shouted together.

Not but an instant later, a loud rumbling was heard above them.

Ash looked up. "We need to keep then distracted," he told Red, motioning to the Legendaries. Grabbing the PokeBalls on his belt, he shouted, "Come out, everybody!" As soon as all the Pokemon he had brought with him were out, he stated, "Heracross, you and Charizard go help Infernape against Dialga. Sceptile, Pikachu, and Gible -- go after Palkia."

Pikachu grinned and gave Ash a thumbs-up. "You got it!"

He leapt off his Trainer's shoulder and promptly unleashed a Thunderbolt attack in Palkia's direction, while Pika did the same with his Thunder attack.

Red then released the rest of his own Pokemon. "Saur, go help Pika against Palkia. Poli, you've got Dialga. Lax, you're going against Dialga. Aero, you've got Dialga. And Vee, you go after Palkia."

The Espeon nodded. "They won't know what hit them."

He dashed off in the direction of the Legendary. At the same time, Grace set her sights on Dialga.

While the Pokemon began to take Dialga's and Palkia's attention, Khrista's power began to slowly fade. Gritting her teeth, she tried to summon more power, but there wasn't much left.

 _"We're not losing,"_ Joshua stated. _"Not today."_

Khrista could barely hear him, but she could tell that he was determined not to let them lose against the controlled Legendaries.

Switching to vocal, Joshua called out, "Caleb! Now!"

Below, Caleb nodded, then let out a guttural roar as he started to glow with a strange, blue energy, which has long since been identified as Aura. "Aura Storm!"

A beam of Aura was suddenly fired on Dialga, who let out a primeval shriek. The air was suddenly filled with energy as the Aura Storm hit Dialga's orange gem point-blank. Khrista, upon realizing this, managed to absorb whatever energy was zooming around her. Above, the rumbling became even louder.

Palkia let out a snarl. **-No one is going to defeat us. Certainly not a group of genetic freaks-**

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Oh, yeah? In case you haven't noticed, Dialga isn't looking so good."

 _"Now!"_ Ray roared. He released a Dragon Pulse at the rocky ceiling, causing it to collapse as gigantic meteors crashed through, practically bursting with draconic energy.

While Red's and Ash's Pokemon were able to get out of the way in time, Dialga and Palkia were too large to get of of the way of the Ultimate Dragon Attack. They were soon buried under a large pile of rocks, still releasing draconic energy.

"Let's hope that did it," Khrista murmured, looking over at the rock piles as Joshua was slowly lowered and landed on the ground as the bubble dissipated. "I don't think I can manage another attack like that."

"I was starting to wonder when those two would get some sense knocked into them!"

Khrista turned her head sharply, catching sight of a strange, blue Sandslash standing near a hole that had suddenly appeared in the cave wall.

"What do you mean by that?" Khrista asked as she landed on the cave floor. "And where did you come from?"

The Sandslash motioned to the hole. "When Cyrus took over, he had me and my friends rounded up for no reason and trapped in a pocket dimension. When you knocked him out, I managed to slip out and leave a tunnel that leads out of the mountain. I came back in to see what had happened."

Joshua was about to respond to this when the rock pile was suddenly thrown apart by a blast of draconic energy. For a moment, Khrista thought she had caught sight of a fine red dust, but the moment passed quickly.

When the dust had cleared, Dialga and Palkia were standing there in their normal colorings.

Dialga nodded to Khrista and the others. _"Thank you for rescuing us."_

 _"I warned him what was going to happen if he tried a stunt like this,"_ Palkia muttered.

Khrista's eyes widened. "You tried to dissuade Cyrus?"

 _"The both times, yes,"_ Dialga confirmed. He bent down to have a closer look at Khrista. _"You seem familiar, somehow. What is your name, child?"_

"I'm Khrista," Khrista responded, "one of the kids Cyrus dragged here after he took over." She motioned to her cousin and the Angeleon, continuing, "And these are Joshua and Grace."

_"Ah, the Avatars the Psychics saw. I would say that it is an honor to finally meet you, but it appears we already have."_

"Avatars?" the Sandslash repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

 _"They're the kids who play video games back on their world,"_ Palkia explained. _"We saw just one Trainer, but the Psychics saw more follow when Ash became a Trainer after White. Whatever actions the one went through, the others mimicked some time later -- and received the same hateful emotions from Cyrus and others."_

"Oh." The Sandslash nodded, understanding, but then frowned. "But what about White? Where is she?"

 _"She went to a place out of Cyrus' reach,"_ Palkia replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Grace asked, frowning. "Cyrus grabbed everybody from our neighborhood. Does that mean he couldn't go beyond there?"

 _"Not quite."_ Palkia let out a growl of annoyance. _"The scientist known as Charon knew how to manipulate space in such a way that he could reach anywhere on your world. However,_ Maria White _was called away to a world beyond his reach, as she is a World Jumper."_

"World Jumper?" Grace repeated. "Is that what this White is?"

Dialga gave a nod.

"Maria White," Khrista muttered under her breath. "Maria...." Her eyes widened. "I've got a _neighbor_ named Maria!"

 _"And I believe that same neighbor is the Trainer of which I speak,"_ Palkia replied.

 _"And the same Trainer who meddled in everything Cyrus did,"_ Dialga added.

Palkia looked up towards the hole. _"Speaking of meddling, we have a planet to restore. If you would excuse me."_ He took off through the hole and into the sky without another word.

 _"I may not have command over space, but I can restore those who have been changed to their proper forms,"_ Dialga stated. _"You may go and tell the others what has occurred; they need not worry about what we are doing."_

Dialga started to go, but Khrista exclaimed, "Wait!"

The Temporal Pokemon paused and looked at the human. _"Yes, Avatar?"_

"How is it that Maria White is Maria Carlsdale?" Khrista demanded. "She's never told any of us about doing something about this."

 _"Maria has her own reasons for that,"_ Dialga replied. _"Maybe you could ask her the next time you see her."_

Before Khrista could ask Dialga anything more, the Legendary took off and disappeared into the dark sky.

Khrista nodded. "Right." She flew up onto Ray's head, calling, "All right, guys! Let's go back!"

**Spacial Break**

Cyrus awoke from his first dreamless sleep in days, only to find himself staring face to face with the man he had allied himself with years ago.

"You've been asleep for two days," Ivan noted as Cyrus sat up. "I was beginning to wonder if the device had lobotomized you."

"Cyrus shook his head. "I had been having nightmares on that accursed planet. Now that I am here, I am free of sleepless nights." He looked around the gray room grimly. "I see you haven't redecorated."

"Like I need to. What happened that forced you to come here?"

Cyrus let out a growl. "I was beaten. Again."

Ivan seemed intrigued by this. "Was it the same one you were complaining about from the last time?"

"No -- her I couldn't find. This one was a kid who somehow became part Mew!"

"Is that bad?"

Cyrus got off the bed, an angered look on his face. "As bad as when your first 'project' turned against you, and worse, as I was unable to destroy her. I knew my work would be reversed just as quickly as I had activated it, so I found a window of opportunity. Unfortunately, I came here alone."

Ivan shook his head, making a _tsk_ noise as he did so. "You shouldn't let yourself be so vulnerable. Is there anyone who escaped?"

"No; they captured everyone." Cyrus started to pace back and forth. "There is no point in trying to go back and invade -- the Pokemon those Trainers have are probably powerful enough to destroy an army of yours with little difficulty."

"That is a pessimistic thought," Ivan noted.

"It is said with experience," Cyrus shot back. "If we are going to go back, we need creatures that can stand against Pokemon. We need that blue demon you spoke to me about."

Ivan's eyes widened, his glasses reflecting the light source above their heads. "A tall order. But with you and your scientist friend here, I might be able to put something together...."

**Spacial Break**

"We're back!" Khrista called as she and the others arrived in the Square.

A large crowd of Trainers quickly surrounded them, but the Professors pushed them back.

"How did it go?" Birch inquired. Khrista noticed that he didn't ask them about _where_ they had gone -- he had most likely been told about what they had gone off to do.

"We rescued them with two Draco Meteors," Khrista explained. "Plus, we found this little guy."

The blue Sandslash standing to her right waved.

Professor Rowan leaned forward and inspected the Shiny Pokemon. "Your Trainer has been worried sick about you."

"I kinda figured," the Sandslash responded. "Where is he?"

"He went back to Kanto about an hour ago," Professor Oak explained. "I was planning on heading back soon myself."

"So you can give me a ride?" The Sandslash grinned as Oak nodded. "Awesome! We'll have to wait a little, though -- the Legendaries are probably going to bring everyone else back once Dialga's taken care of restoring everyone to normal."

"That's all right. I still have a few things I need to take care of."

"So, what's going to happen now?" Green asked.

"Now, we wait for Palkia to do his work," Red stated. Turning to look at his brother, he said, "Palkia mentioned that Cyrus hated you. Why?"

Ash smiled sheepishly, and rubbed the back of his head. "A few years ago, he learned about the whole 'Chosen One' fiasco back on the Orange Islands. He then tried to hunt down Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno to reenact the whole thing, but I stopped him. After that, he tried to do that to the other world disasters, but I -- and the Avatars, is sounds like -- stopped him every time."

"And now Cyrus has vanished," Elm muttered.

Khrista frowned. "What do you mean by that? Wasn't Darkrai keeping an eye on him?"

 _"I am still mortal, Legendary or not,"_ the mentioned Pokemon responded, materializing in front of Khrista. _"I had just sent him into a Nightmare Sleep when he pressed something and caused himself and Charon to disappear."_ He handed Joshua a metallic object. _"It looks like he activated some sort of artificial Teleport."_

Joshua turned the object over in his hands. "Some sort of portable, one-use warp device," he identified. "It probably has the destination coded in." He rubbed a strange K-like shape in the device. "It could have sent him to another world."

"Another world?" Khrista repeated, surprised. "But where would they go? He's lived here for his entire life, hasn't he?"

Joshua shrugged. "You can never tell with people of his caliber." He dropped the device, which had strangely turned to dust in his hands. "Well, it looks like he won't be bothering us for a while." His eyes scanned the crowd. "I'm going to get my Pokemon healed up. If any of you want to battle me, get in line."

Khrista smirked. "And that goes for me, too! I haven't been able to get into an official battle yet, and I'm itching for one!"


	63. vs. Red

"Welcome, contestants and spectators, to the first annual Verity Tournament! This is Ruby --"

"--and I'm May--" another voice added.

\--reporting to you live from Spatial Colosseum!" they finished together.

"It's been two short weeks since the world has been restored to normal," May continued. "Thanks to Palkia, we've managed to remove every speck of Cyrus' work from the planet."

"And we have Palkia to thank for this awesome colosseum," Ruby added, looking out over the presently vacant battlefield below. "Room to hold almost all of Sinnoh's population, plus a climate-controlled battlefield, which can take the characteristics of any environment! We have it set at 'Random' for today's last two battles, so who knows what the Trainers will have to face!"

"In fact, here come two Trainers now!" May made a motion for two of the cameras to zoom in on the two figures approaching the Trainer Boxes. "One of them is Red, the Kanto Champion. Before he had come over here with Professor Oak at the start of the Crisis, Red was the sole human inhabitant of Mt. Silver, the toughest mountain in the world!"

"Tough for you, anyway," Ruby responded. "Avatar Trainers, as well as Miss White, have been the only ones to make it up there." He ignored the glare he was receiving from his younger sister. "Unfortunately, White won't be here today -- her parents said that she was 'out', whatever that means."

There was a loud "boo!" from the crowd.

Below, the as-of-yet-unnamed Trainer got into a defensive stance.

"But we have someone who's probably just as famous down there!" May called. "Khrista, an Avatar!"

Upon hearing May's exclamation, the boos turned to cheers, and the named figure below seemed to relax.

"These two Trainers have risen through the Tournament's rounds so far," May continued. "Now that we're in the last round of the finals, things can only heat up!"

The crowd roared in agreement.

Joshua rolled his eyes at the siblings' antics. He knew they were trying to ramp up the crowd as much as possible, but it seemed to him that the prospect of two powerful Trainers battling was more than enough.

His eyes went over the stances of Red and Khrista -- both relaxed -- before stopping to look at the Trainer to his left, who was wearing a blue jacket and a red hat on top of a mess of black hair. The boy's brown eyes were also observing the Trainers below.

"Out of all of you guys, she has to be the most like her," the boy finally stated. He looked at Joshua. "Maria, I mean."

Joshua gave the boy a curious look. "You think so?"

"I know so. She and I traveled around Unova when Team Plasma showed up again." He held out his hand for Joshua for shake. "Name's Black."

Joshua shook Black's hand. "Joshua. I remember Red knocking you out of the competition in the semi finals."

Black nodded. "I'd hoped to battle Khrista before I got kicked out, but I guess it didn't work out."

"She was open for a battle before the tournament started."

"I was training on Mt. Coronet from before you guys got back to when Palkia dropped the Colosseum on Cyrus' old foundation and turned the Underground into New Sandgem." The Unova Trainer smirked. "At least I got some new Pokemon to of it."

Joshua nodded. "I saw the Abomasnow you put against Red's Aerodactyl. The temperature felt like it had dropped ten degrees by the time they had both fainted."

Black's eyes widened slightly. "Huh. I guess that I was so into my battle that I didn't notice. And your battle against Ash! It was like you were predicting his every move!"

"I learned that from experience," Joshua responded calmly. He looked down at the two Trainers below, who both looked like the had a PokeBall in one hand. "Looks like it's about to start."

Below, Khrista was grinning at the prospect of a battle against the boy was considered the strongest Trainer in Kanto and Jhoto combined. She didn't know which Pokemon he was going to lead with, and she didn't care at this point -- she had chosen her team with Red in mind.

Red was also confident. He had figured out Khrista's strategy, and was prepared to answer in kind. Red was also planning on defeating Joshua, who was waiting for the winner of this match.

"The three-on-three match between Red and Knrista starts now!" Forrest, Brock's brother, called.

Two PokeBalls were tossed out, followed by two flashes ad the two Pokemon were released.

Liz's Flareon named Flare and Red's Venasaur were soon standing on the battlefield, which began to morph and change. The ground heated up, turning into obsidian stone as lava pooled into crevices.

Khrista let out a whistle. "Now that is cool. Flare, how about we start things off with a Flamethrower?"

The Flareon smirked, then fired off a steam of fire in the direction of the Grass/Poison-Type.

Red nodded once. "Earthquake."

Saur let out a roar, and slammed the rocky ground when cracks started to appear in the ground, lava seeping out.

"Keep moving, Flare!" Khrista called out. "Try to get as close as you can and use Fire Fang!"

Flare nodded, then started to jump around in floating bits of rock in order to get close to Saur, who had taken both the brunt of the Flamethrower and a couple spurts of lava. Before the Fire-Type could bite the Grass-Type, however, Flare found himself punched into a rock by a ThunderPunch from Poli.

"Seismic Toss!" Red ordered the first Pokemon he had befriended. Before the Pokemon could grab Flare, however, the Fire-Type was gone, replaced by an Electric Mouse. Poli soon found himself covered in static, while Raichu stood glaring at him from a floating piece of obsidian.

Khrista nodded in approval. "Your Pokemon are strong, I'll give you that. But can you stand for a little surprise from mine?"

Red's eyes narrowed. He hadn't seen Khrista use any Pikachu or Raichu in her battles, but he knew what the girl was probably referring to. "Don't let your guard down, Poli! Hydro Pump!"

"Raichu, Surf!"

As the Hydro Pump surged towards Raichu, the female Mouse raised her arms, and the lava instantly responded, riding up in a gigantic wave in front of her. As soon as the Hydro Pump hit the wave, steam erupted from the molten rock and covered the battlefield.

"An Electric Mouse like that is very hard to come by," Ruby noted over the loudspeakers. "Very few learn Hidden Machine attacks like Surf or Fly."

"Light it up!" Khrista called. "Discharge!"

The cloud of water vapor started to darken as electric sparks flew about the cloud. Red's eyes widened as he realized what Khrista was planning. "Poli, get out of there! Now!"

"Do it!" Khrista responded. "Supercharged Thunder!"

There was a slight rumble rom within the cloud, and a flash as bright as a firework came and went, followed by a loud clap of thunder. By the time the cloud had dissipated, the volcanic ground had no lava left, and the great magma wave had become a rocky cliff, on top of which Raichu sat, a proud grin on her face. Below, Poli lay fainted.

"Poliwrath is unable to battle! The victor is Raichu!" Forrest called out.

Khrista thrust a fist into the air, letting out a whoop of delight. "Nice job, Raichu! One down, two to go!"

Raichu gave her Trainer a thumbs-up, only to tumble off the cliff when it collapsed underneath her. Grass started to peak up between the rocks, and Raichu was soon standing alone on a grassy field.

Red smirked. "For a kid who watched a screen when she used to fight, you seem to know what you're doing." He tossed out a PokeBall, releasing the giant Pokemon that was his Snorlax. "You still have a long way to go, though. Lax, use Double-Edge!"

Khrista let out a laugh. "Two can play at that game! Volt Tackle!"

The two Pokemon charged at each other, their reckless attacks slamming together with a flash and the smell of ozone. When the flash faded, Raichu lay there fainted and Lax, although worse for the wear, was still up.

"Raichu is unable to battle! The winner is Snorlax!"

The crowd roared in response to Forrest's words.

Khrista returned the Electric-Type to her PokeBall. "What do you say to a hand-to-hand? Caleb, you're on!" Joshua's Lucario appeared on the grassy field. "Go in close and use Close Combat!"

"Keep it away with a Mega Punch!" Red countered.

Lax, for all his strength, didn't have the speed that he needed to hit Caleb before the Fighting/Steel-Type could score a hit. The gigantic Normal-Type was down for the could before he even hit the ground.

"Snorlax in unable to battle! The winner is Lucario!"

"Which leaves Red with Saur," Khrista muttered under her breath.

Meanwhile, in the stands, Black was shaking his head. "They should have let us go six-on-six, not three-on-three."

Joshua shrugged. "Maybe they'll do that next year."

"Maybe. Maybe they'll have us do Triple Battles; who knows?"

Red released Saur from his PokeBall. "This is it." The grass disappeared, and rocks grew into giant pillars out of the battlefield. "Earthquake, Saur!"

"Use ExtremeSpeed to avoid the move as best you can!" Khrista called.

Caleb moved quickly to avoid the cracks that started to appear in the earth, but to no avail; a tower of rock collapsed on him as he dashed by it. Caleb managed to crawl out partway, only to collapse.

"Lucario is unable to battle!" Forrest called. "The victor is Venasaur!"

"And we're down to one on one," May added.

Khrista fingered Flare's PokeBall, a smile on her face. "This really is it." She released the Flareon onto the battlefield. "No holding back!"

Red nodded. "Saur, Frenzy Plant!"

"Fire Blast, Flare! As strong as you can make it!"

Large roots appeared from the ground and shot at Flare, only to be incinerated by the Fire Blast, which ate up the Grass attack greedily and followed the roots far enough so that it could jump onto Saur. The plant-like lizard let of a roar as the fire began to lick away at him.

"Saur's got a nasty burn," Ruby noted. "It doesn't look like it might have much health left."

Red ignored Ruby's voice. "Saur, use Earthquake to kick up the dirt and put out the fire!"

"Fire Blast!" Khrista called out.

Flare was quick to charge up and fire at Saur as a weak rumbling started to shake the area. Saur, despite his efforts, was quickly taken out.

"Venasaur is unable to battle! The winners are Flareon and Khrista!"

The crowd went _nuts_.

Khrista couldn't help but jump up and down in delight at winning against the Kanto Champion. Flare released a few sparks of flame in celebration, as well.

"We're not done yet today, though," May warned. "Next, it's cousin against cousin in a final match! Joshua, Khrista, you've got an hour to think up a strategy and pick your teams."

Khrista nodded as Flare climbed onto her shoulder, Red having long since returned Saur to his PokeBall. "I've got a feeling that I already know what Joshua is going to use...."

Flare gave his Trainer a curious look. "You do?"

"Yup. And you're not in it. I'll let Nurse Joy look you over, then you can join Liz's other Eeveelutions."

"Ah. I was really hoping you'd let me help beat him!"

"You're not even one of _my_ Pokemon," Khrista replied, irritated.

"You and your cousin have a long-standing rivalry?" Red asked as he came over.

"Yeah," Khrista replied with a smile, looking over at the Kanto Champion. "When we first met, we both had gone through Hoenn, and decided that it would be a good idea to test out or strengths. We've been fighting each other whenever we can ever since. This one is really going to be different."

"All that's different is that you're here in our world," Flare pointed out. "Nothing's new other than that."

Khrista laughed. "Easy for you to say. No one in my family can say that they've competed in an actual tournament like this! And with real Pokemon, no less!" A delighted grin crossed her face. "Race you to the Pokemon Center, Red!"

**Spacial Break**

Lien looked up sharply from her thoughts as soon as she caught sight of a figure standing near the entrance of her cave. She had been monitoring the tournament until something had disturbed her. _"Who's there?"_

The figure's head moved from one of the walls and towards the back of the cave, where the Mesprit was hovering with her paws on her hips.

Her figure gave a slight smile. "Hey, Lien. It's just me."

The Mesprit frowned and, after a moment, flew a little closer to the figure so that she could get a better look, her arms in front of her as though she was swimming. She caught sight of an orange jacket, red shirt, and brown hair and blue eyes with a strange glow to them.

 _"Maria?"_ she asked in shock.

The girl gave a nod. "Yeah."

Lien's eyes widened, then she put her paws on her hips again while a scowl came over her face. _"Where have you been?! We thought you would have gotten here during the trouble, not after!"_

Maria gave a sad smile. "Sorry. I was called to another world and...got caught up with something."

 _"What? I know there's something about you that's different, Maria White."_ Lien crossed her arms over her chest, now. _"What happened?"_

Maria paused, making a face for a moment. Then, looking at Lien, stated, "I kinda...got into an accident."

As if she had said the magic words, her clothes flickered like insubstantial light and vanished, revealing red, orange, and gray armor -- with white gloves covering her hands and gold rings on her wrists.

Lien let out a gasp of surprise. _"What--"_

"A roboticist did this to save my life," Maria explained. "He had to, or else I wouldn't have been able to help him out, and then I wouldn't _be_ here."

The Being of Emotion looked really emotional at this statement. _"Where did you go? This design...it doesn't look like anything I'm familiar with."_

"You probably wouldn't be," Maria replied. "This didn't come from Mobius." She motioned to her armor. "It came from a section of the universe called Capcom--specifically a world known for a robotic hero named MegaMan."

 _"MegaMan?"_ Lien frowned. _"What kind of name is that?"_

"The robot gave himself that title, and he was pretty much a newborn when he volunteered to take on the evils of his world." Maria shrugged. "I doubt he's going to change it anytime soon." She looked around the cave. "So, what's up with this stadium on top of Lake Verity?"

 _"It's a gift from Palkia for releasing him from the Red Chain,"_ Lien explained. _"This used to be the sight of Cyrus' headquarters, so he thought it would be pretty fitting. Because it got dropped here, though, Twinleaf has been turned into something of a tourist town, and there are a lot more people in New Sandgem as a result."_ The Mesprit paused and cocked her head to one side. _"There's a tournament going on right now to celebrate our victory, and...it seems as though Red and Khrista just finished--the Avatar won."_

Maria looked confused. "Avatar?" A moment later, she looked like she had realized something. "Wait -- _Khrista_ is here? The last I checked, she was trying to finish off White 2!"

 _"One question at a time,"_ Lien replied irritably. _"An Avatar is a human from your world who had played these 'games' that they have been speaking of. Only certain Psychics were aware of their existence, on the account that they were only seeable by them. And as for Khrista, she is actually the one who assisted us the most in destroying Cyrus' regime."_

"Really?" Maria blinked in surprise. "That's...unexpected. And you said she managed to beat Red?"

_"Not but a few seconds ago. She is going to be facing off against her cousin, Joshua, in about fifteen minutes."_

"I don't want to miss this," Maria remarked, grinning. That faded seconds later, however. Lien thought that she had heard a voice whisper something, but it was gone before she could identify it.

"Hey, Lien, do any of these kids know of a way home?" Maria asked. "Besides my sister?"

Lien frowned, then shook her head. _"Most of them don't think they're ever going to go home, but some of them have considered it."_

"Only some?" Maria frowned. "They're not worrying about what their parents are thinking? I know Mom nearly blew a gasket when Matthew walked out to the garage to practice his guitar and never even plucked a string."

 _"They may think that they have no way home because Cyrus brought them here and that device now sits as a lawn ornament in front of the stadium."_ Lien smiled dryly. _"Maybe you should go and show off to show them a way home."_

"Yeah....that might not be a bad idea." The grin reappeared on her face. "Which way to the stands?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where the crossover bit happens -- this story happens the same time that my Capcom Kingdom story happens. And Khrista and the others have to get home somehow....


	64. Chapter 64

Khrista stood with her arms crossed across her chest on one side of the battlefield, her eyes on her cousin as he walked out. Ruby and May had explained both of their parts in the "Battle of the Citadel," as the plan had been called. The Hoenn Trainers had also mentioned Khrista's abilities as she had chosen her side of the field, and now they were waiting for Joshua to appear.

"And here's Joshua!" Ruby called as the Trainer finally appeared on the stadium floor. "This Avatar, despite what abilities his cousin has, is one of the few humans without Pokemon-like abilities in any shape or form, the others being Matthew, the twins Kira and Alia, and a random number of the rest."

Khrista frowned. It didn't seem that anyone knew of his telepathic abilities...or that he seemed to have known the weaknesses of the Legendaries without even facing them himself.

Noticing that Joshua already had a PokeBall in his hand, she reached down to her belt with her right hand, hovering over the first PokeBall on her belt.

As Joshua stopped, he nodded to Forrest. "Whenever you're ready."

Forrest nodded. "Battle Begin!"

Khrista snatched a PokeBall off her belt, maximized it, then tossed it at the same time Joshua did. After the flashes had faded, Raze the Blazikan stood on one side, and Raichu stood on the other.

"All Hoenns," Joshua stated.

"And no Legendaries," Khrista promised, grinning. "Raichu, it's time to rock and roll! Use Surf!"

"Jump and use Blaze Kick!" Joshua barked in response.

Raichu jumped on her tail as a wave of water was summoned from out of nowhere. The Electric-Type surfed towards the Blazikan, a large grin on her face.

Raze watched with a smirk until the wave was almost on top of him. Then he jumped up while his legs blazed with fire. The Fire/Fighting-Type spun in the air, knocking Raichu off her perch in front of the wave.

However, Raichu quickly spun and regained her position on a different section of the wave, which still crashed into Raze and sent him sprawling.

Raze let out a growl. "No fair, letting a Raichu from Yellow Forest run rampant around here."

Raichu jumped back to a place in front of Khrista. She stuck out her tongue in a cocky manner. "Like you're any better. I heard that professor from Kalos found about some sort of new form you guys can take to completely cream Pokemon. You're lucky your Trainer hasn't gotten there yet!"

Raze's stance got more offensive. Joshua, seeing this, called out, "Close Combat!"

The Blazikan let out a roar, and charged at the Raichu with his clawed fists clenched tightly.

"Electric Bind!" Knrista barked in response.

Raichu's tail went up, sparked, and she swung. Five rings of electricity went flying and honed in on Raze like heat-seeking missiles. Three managed to slide down over Raze and bind his arms to his sides and wrap around his legs, but the other two missed and bounced into the sides of the boundary walls and exploded into sparks.

Those near them yelped in surprise and moved back when some of the electricity flew up into their faces.

Raze growled again as he tried to break loose.

"Since when was that a move?" Joshua demanded.

"Since Stark Mountain!" Khrista called back. "Raichu, let's finish this off! Thunder!"

"Dodge it and use Fire Blast!"

Raze started hopping while Raichu's tail went straight up in the air and started to gather electricity together. The Blazikan's beak opened up and a small ball of fire started to form there.

Not but seconds later, a large lightningbolt slammed down on Raze, causing him to scream and fire the ball of flames up at the stands. When the Thunder attack faded, the Blazikan collapsed, fainted.

But it wasn't him that they were watching -- it was what was going on in the stands.

As the fireball had careened upwards towards the people in the lowest section of seats, another figure ran down the stairs towards the fireball, strange red, orange, and gray armor catching the sunlight.

A gloved hand shot out just seconds before it hit a blue-haired girl in the face...and absorbed the fireball.

"Try to be more careful!" the figure called out in female tones. Blue eyes looked down at the battlefield with recognition, amusement, and seriousness. "Someone could get majorly hurt from an attack like that, and I'm not exactly able to run around the stadium at subsonic speeds."

Khrista blinked in shock upon seeing who it was that had spoken. Blue eyes...the brown hair that fell down around her armored shoulders....it wasn't possible.

"Maria?" Khrista asked softly.

The girl paused and looked over at the Avatar who had spoken. A sad smile flitted over her face, and she gave a nod before turning and starting back up the stairs towards the top of the stands.

"...Blazikan is unable to battle!" Forrest called out after a moment, looking a little lost for words. "The winner is Raichu!"

The crowd let out a roar upon hearing the result, but it sounded like it was only at half-strength from the shock.

"Whoa," came Ruby's voice. "Was that...White?"

"Let's get a closer look with the Stadium Cam," May suggested.

While Joshua returned Raze to his PokeBall, the screen that had been showing the two Avatars and their Pokemon so far changed to a camera moving up a section of the stands. It only took seconds to catch sight of the red, orange, and gray-armored girl standing near a brown-haired, blue-eyed boy who appeared to be older.

"It _is_ White!" Ruby exclaimed. "I'd know that mop of hair anywhere! She never wanted to do anything other than make a ponytail out of it!"

The girl on the screen looked up and put her hands on her hips. It looked like she was yelling something, but no one could hear what was being said.

"This is keeping us from our battle," Joshua called out. Khrista turned to look back at her cousin, who was now holding another PokeBall in his hand. "Come on -- let's move on." He tossed the red and white sphere, releasing a Swampert was colored purple rather than the usual dark blue.

Raichu let out a growl of annoyance. "Great. No Electric attacks."

"That doesn't take you completely out of the running," Khrista replied. "Use Surf!"

"Earthquake," Joshua said in a voice that Khrista could barely hear.

Raichu's tail went under her as she jumped up as water materialized, but she wasn't able to get far.

All the Swampert had to do was raise its front paws and slam them into the ground in order to cause the entire battlefield to shake. The water disappeared into cracks in the ground that snaked their way towards the Electric-Type. It wasn't long before Raichu was stumbling around trying to regain her balance, only to fall into a crevice and get stuck tail around her at a strange angle.

"I...give...." Raichu collapsed and instantly retreated into her PokeBall without Khrista so much as moving to grab it.

"Raichu is unable to battle! The victor is Swampert!"

There was a other roar from the crowd as the battle came back into action -- and with knocking out one of Khrista's Pokemon to boot.

Khrista's fingers ran over the two remaining PokeBalls she had a choice between. Considering who Joshua had used so far and who he might have and left....

Khrista quickly grabbed a PokeBall and threw it out, releasing the Pokemon that she had chosen.

A familiar, white dog-like Pokemon with a brown stripe running from nose to tail came flying out of the ball and landed on its feet just as the ground shifted; the trademark battlefield grew grass as trees suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grew up in random locations. They did not obstruct the view of the spectators, however.

Linoone wagged his tail excitedly. "Oh, boy! Hi, Marsh! Long time no see!"

"Long time is right," the Shiny Swampert replied in female tones. "But I'm going to be fighting you for the real deal this time -- no sparring or anything."

"Right." Linoone's usually playful tone suddenly became serious. He started to paw at the ground, like he was ready to charge like a bull.

"Let's kick this off with a Headbutt!" Khrista called out, pointing at the Swampert.

"Use --"

Joshua didn't get to finish his command, because Linoone rammed into Marsh's stomach and promptly backed up to his original position. As a result of the ramming, Marsh was left rubbing her stomach with a grimace on her face.

"Ooh, that's going to leave a mark," Ruby remarked. "That's a definite flinch if I've ever seen one."

Khrista grinned. "Definitely faster. Ok, let's try to finish this off quickly. Use Strength!"

Linoone seemed to coil himself up like a spring before shooting forward and ramming into Marsh a second time -- this time in the side, causing the Swampert to teeter for only a moment before regaining her balance.

"Now!" Joshua called. "Focus Punch!"

"Use your speed to get out of the way!" Khrista shouted in response.

Linoone saw Marsh's glowing fist and instantly backed away from his previous position. He only just managed to get out of the way before Marsh's punch landed in the tree the Normal-Type had been standing in front of.

"Hey! No fair!" Marsh scowled.

"All's fair in love and war," Linoone replied giddily. "That's what Professor Birch told me once."

"Quotes are all fine and dandy, but let's keep track of what our opponents are doing, please?" Khrista replied, looking over at Joshua cautiously.

"Right, right. Sorry." Linoone pranced around eagerly. "What do you want me to do next?"

"Go for another Headbutt. I don't want any more Focus Punch fiascos!"

"You got it!" Linoone ran forward, towards Marsh.

"Mud Shot!" Joshua shouted.

Marsh reared back, but Linoone rammed unto her gut again. Mud was shot out of her mouth and onto the Normal-Type before he could even back up. A moment later, the two collapsed, fainted.

"It's a draw!" Forrest announced.

The crowd roared.

Khrista gave a sly smile as she and Joshua returned their fainted Pokemon to their respective PokeBalls. "One on one. This is it. No going back."

"No going back," Joshua repeated thoughtfully. "There was no going back the minute Cyrus found out how to get us to this world."

Khrista's eyes narrowed slightly, her face turning into a scowl as she grabbed her last PokeBall. "We'll find a way home. I know it." She threw out her last PokeBall, releasing Swamp from its confines. "Just as I'm sure that I'm going to beat you!"

"I doubt it." Joshua smirked, then threw out his own PokeBall, releasing a Sceptile with a scar over one eye. "Leaf Blade, Cedar!"

"Earthquake to trip up his feet!"

Swamp slammed his front paws down onto the ground, causing the grass to upheave itself very much like when Marsh had used the attack before. Cedar stumbled a little and ended up tripping right in front of Swamp's front paws.

"Hammer Arm!" Khrista directed, raising her right fist up and bringing it down.

Swamp raised his front paws again and slammed down on Cedar's back, causing the Sceptile to cry out in pain.

"Leaf Blade!" Joshua repeated.

Cedar's leafy blades glowed, and he thrust them up into Swamp's chin. The Water/Ground-Type drew back sharply as a result and muttered something that sounded a lot like a curse of some sort.

"Keep your head on straight," Khrista muttered -- whether it was meant for Swamp of herself, she wasn't exactly sure. "Come on -- let's take this guy out, Type advantage or no. Hammer Arm!"

"Dig!"

Swamp raised his arms again, but he was hit in the face by a flurry of dirt brought on by Cedar as he disappeared underground.

"Pbth!" Swamp spat out some dirt that made its way into his mouth and glared down the hole.

"Earthquake!" Khrista called.

Swamp's front paws were already slamming down as Khrista gave the order. Once again, the battlefield shook as the ground was upheaved even further.

To Swamp's left, Cedar suddenly burst out of the ground, gasping for breath.

"Hammer Arm!"

"Leaf Blade!"

The two Pokemon charged at each other, one with glowing blades, and the other with clenched fists. The two punched each other, Swamp getting a slash from Cedar and Cedar getting a nasty bruise on his cheek. Then their fighting started to become more violent, raising a cloud of dust that obscured the view of the spectators.

As they fought, the trees shrank away and the grass disappeared, turning back into the basic battlefield. Khrista couldn't help but wonder if it was an attempt at getting the amount of dust to decrease so that people could actually see what was going on.

Slowly, the dust started to clear, revealing Swamp and Cedar with their arms locked together, swaying forwards and backwards -- either because they were pushing each other or they were trying to keep the other up.

Cedar, who appeared to be panting heavily, looked from Swamp's face to Khrista's and back, a curious look in his eyes. A determined look soon replaced this, however, and with a nod, Cedar pulled out of Swamp's grip.

The two Pokemon and their Trainers stared at each other for what seemed like minutes, the crowd around them falling into a quiet whisper that carried throughout the stadium.

Swamp's form seemed to waver for a moment, almost as though he was about to collapse, but the Pokemon quickly steadied himself.

Cedar suddenly leaned forward, then pinwheeled his arms in order to keep himself balanced. Both of the Pokemon then start to fall, but only one of them managed to gather enough energy to stay upright.

As soon as the exhausted Pokemon hit the ground, Forrest exclaimed, "Sceptile is unable to battle! Khrista and Swampert win!"

The crowd instantly exploded into cheers and loud whistles as the two Trainers returned their Pokemon to their PokeBalls. A large grin had plastered itself on Khrista's face -- this wasn't the first time that she had actually managed to defeat her cousin in battle, but it was still one of the few times she had. Joshua had a slight smile on, as well, but not as big a one as what Khrista had.

"Congratulations Khrista!" May called out. "That's it for this year's Verity Tournament, guys! Hope you can all come by next year!"

Khrista let out a short laugh. "Will I ever!" She turned and walked away from the battlefield, watching the crowd as the people seemed to move as one towards the exits.

Catching sight of a family of three near the front row, her grin shrunk, and a sad look came into her eyes. "I wonder how Mom and Dad are doing...."

**Time Break**

Despite the crowds, Khrista managed to reach the Pokemon Center in the stadium easily. Handing Nurse Joy her team, she turned and leaned back on the counter, watching as the spectators filed out of the stadium through the exits. Most of the kids were carrying small plush dolls, a few of which were lookalikes of Pokemon that had been in the Tournament (Jessie's and James' work, no doubt), as well as Vs. Recorders, which had probably been used to record the kids' favorite battles in the Tournament.

The teen could hear some of the younger generation near her arguing about who was a better Trainer -- Red or Ash -- and who was a better Coordinator -- May or Platinum or Ruby. A few kids claimed that Khrista was probably a Mew in human form, according to what they had heard, and wanted to try to catch the Avatar after they had started out on their journeys. Khrista couldn't help but feel amused at the idea of her being catchable. She was human first and foremost, after all.

"Hey."

Khrista turned her head as Nurse Joy placed her PokeBalls on the counter, but it hadn't been the nurse who had spoken. Instead, it was the girl in red, orange, and gray armor.

Khrista stiffened as her blue eyes locked with the other's. "Maria?"

"You asked that before," the brown-haired girl in front of her replied. "Yeah, it's me."

"What happened to you?" Khrista reached over and grabbed the three PokeBalls and put them on her belt. "I mean, I didn't think that you wore armor like _that_ before."

Maria offered a sad smile. "Kinda happened as soon as I got to the Capcom Kingdom." She looked around the crowded lobby. "I came here when I heard from a couple friends what was going on, but I found that you guys had already taken care of the problem. Looks like Liz and I weren't able to help each other with our quests."

Khrista blinked in confusion. "Wait -- what?"

Maria let out a sigh. "Look, I've heard a lot about what's happened to you guys -- including the fact that Cyrus' Warp Ring was destroyed."

"Warp Ring?" Khrista repeated. "Is that what he used to drag us here?"

"Yeah, from what it sounds like. But the thing is, you don't technically need it in order to get home." Maria gave a wide grin. "Which kind of makes me glad that I'm here to help."

"What do you mean by that?" Khrista wasn't exactly sure as to what Maria was getting to. "I mean, we're kinda stuck here. I don't know how _you_ got here, but --"

"I'll explain over by Lien's cave," Maria replied. She grabbed Knrista's arm and led her towards the mentioned cave in the middle of the small pond that had been placed there as much for decoration as it was as a home for a certain Being of Emotion.

"Is it true that you're White?" Khrista burst out as the approached the pond. There was a small crowd of Pokemon and humans standing nearby, with Liz standing there with a curved sword in her right hand. It looked like the blade had been dunked in blue paint.

Maria paused and looked back then gave a nod. "Yeah, that's right. I'm the one who represents you guys from Kanto to Unova." She turned and looked back at the group. "Hey, guys! I'm Maria, but most people around here just call me White. Yes, that means that I've been in the area before and creamed Cyrus personally on Mt. Coronet." Maria slammed a fist into an open palm, grinning.

"How'd you get here, then?" Alia asked, cocking her head. Her black and pink-striped hair shifted around her shoulders.

"Same way Liz did." Maria nodded to Liz, who gave a smirk. "I made a portal and came straight here after taking care of something on MegaMan's world in Capcom."

"Capcom?" Joshua repeated. "You went to _Capcom?"_

"Yeah." Maria tapped her chest, producing a metallic _clang._ "I had a bit of an accident, so I'm not exactly human anymore as a result. But that doesn't mean I can't help you guys get home." She held her arms wide. "So, who wants to go home?"

The crowd of kids and Pokemon didn't move towards Maria. Most of them exchanged glances, but some of them just looked at her with blank expressions.

Maria let out a sigh and dropped her arms. "Look, if you guys don't want to go home, you can just say so and I won't send you back. But think about what exactly you're missing at home -- your _real_ home. There's a reason that I went back home the other two times I've gone home -- my mom and dad needed to know what I was doing."

Maria snapped the fingers of her right hand, and a blue swirl suddenly appeared next to her.

Khrista jumped back in surprise and looked at the portal in shock and looked between it and Maria.

"So, do you _want_ to go home or not?" Maria asked, motioning to the portal.

"I'll go."

Maria and Khrista turned their heads, and the two looked down at the sky-blue, cloud-collared Eeveelution that stepped out of the crowd.

"I want to go home and see Mom and Dad again," Grace stated boldly as Eliza moved out and stood next to her.

"Go ahead," Maria replied, motioning to the portal.

Grace grinned, then bounded forward and disappeared into the portal. Her Espeon older sister followed after her.

The rest of the group looked at each other, considering the actions of the two former-humans. Eventually, the rest of the small crowd of humans and Pokemon filed after them -- starting with Rick the Riolu and Lucas the Torchic. Eventually, only Khrista, Liz, Matthew, Collin, and Joshua were left.

"You guys want to go home or not?" Maria asked, motioning to the portal. "Because I'm starting to lose energy through this."

Joshua looked over at Khrista, who had been watching the people disappear into the portal.

Khrista caught sight of her cousin's gaze, and looked over at him. After a moment, she looked over at Maria.

"Let's go home," she stated with a nod.


	65. Home Again, Home Again

Khrista looked around the street as she stepped out of the portal, her eyes widening in surprise. Turning to have a better look at her surroundings, she took in a sniff of the surrounding air. "We're close to my house. I think I can smell Mom's flower garden from here."

Joshua's nose twitched. "So can I. It must be either spring or summer."

"School just ended about a week back," explained a voice.

Khrista turned to see Maria step out of the blue portal with Liz, the door to another world closing up behind them.

"And the only reason I know _that_ is because I latched onto my house's wifi signal for some reason." Maria's face scrunched up on annoyance.

"A week?" Joshua repeated in surprise. "It felt like longer."

"Time tends to... _fluctuate_ between worlds," Maria explained carefully. "A day here can be an hour in another place, and an hour here could be a year somewhere else. Because time was out of flux in the Pokemon World, it took longer than it was supposed to -- a day here is a year there, on average."

She scowled. "Which is why I was gone for all of Spring Break because I was _there_ for eight years with amnesia!"

Matthew laughed at his sister's statement, then looked around the area where they were standing -- the street on which Khrista and the Carlsdales lived.

A frown came over Matthew's face. "Where is everybody else?"

"We're in our main neighborhood," Maria replied. "Since everybody's from around here, they took off for their homes to find their families. Speaking of which...."

Maria started off down the street towards one of the houses -- a tan two-story on the left side of the street. The rest of the group started to follow, Khrista staying next to Joshua.

"Mom and Dad are probably going to kill me," Khrista muttered to her cousin. "They were reluctant about letting me join with the Carlsdales as a keyboard player, but now?" She let out a sigh.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Liz replied from nearby. "According to Yen Sid, the only reason Maria and I can go from world to world is because Mom and Dad were World Jumpers before we were born. There's a chance that your parents did that stuff, too."

"You think so?" Khrista asked as Maria moved onto the front porch of the house.

"Anything can happen!" Collin piped up, his blue eyes bright as he looked up at Khrista. "Especially when you're a World Jumper!"

_Knock knock._

Everyone looked over as Maria knocked on the front door of her own home.

"Anybody home?" she called out in a playful tone.

The door flew open, and a woman with frizzy black hair and green eyes stood in the entrance.

The woman looked over the collected group in surprise and confusion, blinking rapidly for a moment before finally settling on Maria. "Maria? Is that _you_?"

"Yeah, Mom," Maria replied, nodding. "We just got back from...well, Neo-Mobius."

"Neo- _Mobius?_ " Khrista repeated, frowning. "Why in the world would the realm of Pokemon be called Neo-Mobius?"

"Long story," Maria replied without looking back.

Khrista scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. "And your armor isn't?"

"Look, I just had an accident and got turned into a Reploid by Dr. Light in order to save my life," Maria responded as she turned to look at Khrista, clearly irritated.

Mrs. Carlsdale let out a gasp and covered her mouth with her hands. "Maria! What happened?!"

Maria looked back at the woman nervously. "With what? This?" She motioned to the armor. "Or this?" She motioned to the others around her, including Khrista. "Because, honestly, I think _their_ story was a lot more terror-inducing than the origin story behind the first Reploid."

"Reploid," Joshua muttered. "I know _everything_ about MegaMan, and then _this_ happens."

Mrs. Carlsdale looked uncertain. "...let's go for the second one. We can talk about _your_ situation later." She zoned in on Matthew. "What happened to you?"

"Honestly, I only remember enough to fill a page in a notebook," Matthew replied helplessly.

"He and a lot of others were...hypnotized, I guess, by Cyrus," Khrista stated quickly. "It happened as soon as he got there, so he only remembers from the attack to right now. Some of us were a bit more lucky, since we _weren't_ caught by Cyrus and were able to help with the attack." Khrista sent looks in both Liz's and Joshua's directions, and the two nodded.

"Haaa....haaa.... Hatchoo!" Collin sneezed, sending sparks of electricity flying from his blond hair. Everyone looked over at him with either surprise or amusement.

"Collin, what just happened?" Mrs. Carlsdale asked, coming over to stand by the youngest in the family.

"I guess I'm getting a cold," Collin responded with a nervous smile.

"And you need to keep out of sight," Khrista remarked. "Who knows what would happen if people outside of this house found out you were an Electric-Type like Ash?"

Mrs. Carlsdale looked over at Maria, who shrugged helplessly.

"It happened while I was in Capcom," Maria stated. "He wasn't like that before, and it definitely wasn't _my_ doing."

"It was _my_ fault, because I released him from the Red Chain using a GigaVolt," Khrista replied, shrugging.

"Kristine!"

Everyone's heads turned to see a woman with bright red hair and blue eyes running from a blue two-story across the street.

"Kristine, where have you been?" the woman asked. "Are you all right?"

"...I'm fine, Mom," Khrista replied cautiously. "And I was taken to another planet, that's all."

"That's all?!" Mrs. Langstrom looked aghast at the suggestion that it was "just all." "Your father and I were worried sick!"

"I was _fine_ ," Khrista replied, holding up her hands in a warding gesture. "And I wasn't defenseless, what with a Rayquaza at my beck and call. Besides...." A smirk appeared on Khrista's face, and her dull red, yellow Master Ball graphic shirt switched to a sky blue shade. With that, Khrista jumped up into the air...and didn't come back down.

The group of Avatars (and Maria) looked up at Khrista either with usual expressions or complete surprise.

"Whoa," Maria stated, eyes wide. "And I thought _I_ had superpowers."

Mrs. Langstrom looked like she was about to have a heart attack. "Kristine, get down from there! It's not natural!"

 _"Madame, with all due respect,_ nothing _is truly natural unless it is a part of your life. Khrista's 'natural' is different from yours."_

Khrista looked up in surprise upon hearing the voice, and her eyes widened when she saw the source. "Chaos? What are you doing here?"

 _"Aurora helped me get here so that I could assist in helping you return to something similar to your previous lives, as some of you aren't quite used to adjusting, while others are."_ Chaos looked down at Maria, who waved at the Mewtwo.

Mrs. Langstrom looked confused, but Mrs. Carlsdale didn't look quite so put off as a result of the Pokemon's sudden appearance.

"So, you're one of the Pokemon that my daughter ran into," Mrs. Carlsdale stated, looking up at the hovering Psychic-Type. "She didn't cause you too much trouble when she was with you, did she?"

 _"Neither child did anything to annoy or cause trouble,"_ Chaos replied calmly. He looked around the group, then nodded as though to himself. _"It seems I do not need to worry much here, as most of use children taken were affected in some way by what has occurred. I bid you farewell."_

"Wait!" Khrista exclaimed. "If you can get here, can other Pokemon come here, as well?"

The Mewtwo turned to look at the still-flying human and regarded her with a curious expression. Then he gave a nod. _"You can bring one Pokemon from our world to yours by using your PokeDex. Although, be warned -- some may not come immediately if they are being detained by events of some sort of circumstance."_

With that, the Legendary disappeared with a flash.

Khrista looked over at where the Pokemon had been for a moment longer, then landed and looked at the red backpack on her back, since it hadn’t left her since the battle against Primal Dialga and Primal Palkia.

Moving swiftly, she took the backpack off and zipped it open. to her surprise, the only item within was the red electronic device that Professor Birch had given her. Grinning, she removed it from her backpack and started to scroll through the Dex entries.

“Which one will we bring over first?” she asked herself.


	66. An Illusion of Normalcy

Khrista took in a breath of fresh air, smelling the flowers that decorated the neighborhood. It had been about three weeks since she and the others had come back from their adventure in the Pokemon World, and the teen was relieved to finally be allowed outside properly in weeks without any sort of human escort, and the teen was looking forward to actually being able to interact with people other than the owners of the Pokemon Company (who had come over the minute she had revealed on a local TV station where everyone had gone) and the multitudes of reporters who had tried to get an interview with her.

Luckily, the paparazzi that had come for some pictures of her in private had quickly left town as soon as they had discovered a new sort of bodyguard -- Khrista’s Pokemon.

However, despite the fact that everyone was back at home, there were a few things that still bothered Khrista -- the strange girl in her head -- Arsenal -- hadn't disappeared _at all,_ and she had even spoken up while Khrista was awake. It made for rather strange situations....

And then there was everyone else -- most of the people ended up losing their abilities, but one or two still had some abilities or proof of what the could do. For instance, Grace usually dressed in a sky blue and had actual wings sprouting from her back that she could use to glide around, but not actually fly. Eliza had told Khrista that Grace was working on getting her wings stronger so that she actually _could_ fly.

And, of course, the Carlsdales kept all _their_ abilities and Joshua was acting strangely reclusive and constantly coming out with brand new gadgets that did who-knew-what.

As the teen was walking around, thinking of recent events, a voice suddenly called out, "Hey, you there!"

Khrista's head turned, the frown on her face becoming even deeper. "What do you want, Mandy?"

A teen wearing ripped jeans, designer shoes, and a shirt with a Pikachu that was two sizes too small approached Khrista, a slightly sinister grin on her face. "I'd heard that you've got some pretty strong Pokemon. I want to test them out." She threw back her mussy, dark red hair so that she could get a better look at Khrista.

Khrista had kind of been expecting this. Ever since she had managed to return, she had decided that she would take her DS Lite and PokeDex when she went anywhere, just in case anyone got the notion to challenge her, human or Pokemon escort or no.

"Well, I certainly don't see why not," Khrista remarked calmly. She removed her red portable gaming device from a jeans pocket. "Do you have a Gen 5 game?"

Mandy nodded, the smirk never leaving her face. "Black 2. You?"

"White 2." _Huh. Looks like she had to take the one as black as her cheating reputation._ "Do you want to do it right now or --"

"Why not?" Mandy motioned to a picnic table that had been sitting in a small park along the sidewalk. "So long as you don't cheat."

Khrista rolled her eyes as she moved over to the table. "Really, Mandy. Did you think that everyone who cheated was taken by Cyrus? Then you would've been among his top ten." She sat down and turned on her DS, appearing in a Pokemon Center as soon as she got the Unova game up and running. Then she removed her PokeDex from another pocket and turned that on, as well.

"What's that thing supposed to be?" Khrista's adversary asked as she sat down, her blue DSi XL already in hand.

"It's the PokeDex I got from Professor Birch," Khrista responded calmly. "What does it look like?"

"A 3DS."

Khrista smirked. "Right. Like I would want one of those things -- there isn't a slot for a Gameboy, so I can't transfer with that." Her eyes went to the screen of her DS. "Single or Double?"

"Single," Mandy answered quickly. "And no restrictions."

 _Because that's the only way you can use your cheats,_ Khrista mentally muttered. "All right. I'm waiting for you to join up." She looked at her PokeDex, smiling to herself as the screen she liked the most popped up. "Okay, okay. I'll let you out." She pressed the confirm button on the device.

A bright flash came out of the PokeDex, taking the form of a small, electric rodent. When the light faded, it was revealed that a Pikachu was sitting on the picnic table.

Mandy's brown eyes widened. "No. Way. You can actually summon Pokemon?"

"Summon _my_ Pokemon, you mean. Bolt, meet Mandy, my adversary for today. Mandy, this is Bolt, the son of my and Liz's Raichu, and a little flying rodent -- one of the few who can actually learn the move."

Mandy's eyes widened. "A Pikachu that knows Fly? That has to be a cheat."

The Pikachu gave Mandy a curious look. "Cheat? What do you mean, cheat?"

"Some of the Trainers around here like to find ways around regular training or natural order," Khrista explained. "That creature called Mewthree? He's a cheat -- or a glitch in the game, at least." Turning to look at Mandy, she added, "SoulSilver. There was an event for the PokeWalker concerning a place called 'Yellow Forest.' Bolt and his sister Volt lived there after evolving into Pikachu some time ago. Raichu went and brought them over to my team some time ago."

Bolt smirked. "Yellow Forest has a lot of hiding places."

Mandy gave him a curious look. "What did he just say?"

Khrista exchanged glances with Bolt, then said, "He was just commenting on how the Forest had a lot of places to hide from passing Trainers." She looked over at her PokeDex. "Are we going to fight or not?"

Mandy nodded vigorously. "We definitely are."

Bolt's eyes widened. "You mean I actually get to see how you guys run your avatars from here?"

Khrista nodded. "Although, I don't exactly have one like the others..." She motioned to the PokeDex's screen. "Remember?"

The Pikachu nodded. "It was nice of them to get you your own lookalike," he remarked.

He looked over at the DS' screen, watching as Khrista's form purposefully flickered her shirt through the whole Type spectrum, before settling on its original red shade with yellow MasterBall graphic. The girl with her hands on her hips, grinning at the prospect of a battle.

Mandy's eyes widened. "Where and how did you get that?" she demanded.

"A gift from the Pokemon Company," Khrsita responded carelessly. "They were so glad for a new spin on the Pokemon world that they made an avatar for me as thanks." She shrugged. "It's not really all that of a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" her adversary repeated. "You've got to be the only kid who's got one of those!"

"There's still your second-removed cousin, Joshua. He and my friends filled in what I left out." Khrista smirked, watching the avatars.

Mandy let out a growl. "Well, I've still got Pokemon that are stronger than yours."

"We'll see about that."

On the DS screen, Mandy's Black 2 female-Trainer figure faded out as a Cherish Ball popped open, revealing a black Rayquaza. Khrista's form then threw a Master Ball, letting loose her own Rayquaza.

Khrista's gaze went to her PokeDex's screen, where the same sort of thing was being shown, though on a more 3-D scale. "Picked up Oda Nobunaga's Rayquaza, huh?"

"Traded for it on GTS," Mandy replied, grinning.

_"Sheesh, old man! You look like you've seen better days."_

_"Quiet, peasant. You do not have the right to speak to me in such a manner."_

"Riiight," Khrista muttered into her PokeDex, ignoring the look Mandy was giving her. "Ray, knock him out, like we did to Corza last time."

The green Rayquaza on the screen nodded, then summoned a Draco Meteor.

"Where were those voices coming from?" Mandy asked.

"Those were the telepathic voices of your and my Rayquaza," Khrista explained calmly. "The PokeDex works kind of like a communicator." She smirked, watching as the Shiny Rayquaza's health bar dropped to zero and the giant Pokemon collapsed. "One down, five to go."

 _"He wasn't a challenge,"_ Ray remarked. _"Bring on the next one."_

Mandy gritted her teeth with frustration. "Useless," she muttered. The black Rayquaza disappeared into its Cherish Ball, being replaced a moment later by the form of an Eeveelution -- a Glaceon.

 _"Oh, boy,"_ Ray remarked.

"Keep your head," Khrista muttered. "I've got this."

She turned her attention to her DS, where she switched out Ray, replacing him with another Pokemon. A Lucario soon took the stage in the Legendary's place, the name "Ryan" appearing above the health bar.

The Lucario on the PokeDex screen looked around, glanced back at the screen, then gave Khrista a thumbs-up. "Let's do this."

Khrista nodded in agreement. "Move fast and strike hard -- Aura Sphere."

Ryan promptly moved quickly, getting into the trademark stance of the Pokemon's species as he charged up the attack. The Glaceon charged up, as well, only it seemed to be holding something uncomfortable in its mouth.

The two Pokemon quickly unleashed their attacks at once, and Khrista realized why the Glaceon had looked uncomfortable. The Ice-Type had just unleashed a Flamethrower, which had caught the Aura Sphere, causing an explosion on the battlefield.

Khrista's eyes narrowed, as did Mandy's, although the latter had a different reason.

"Missed?" she demanded. "How can that miss? You never miss!"

"Dragon Pulse," Khrista muttered. "Maybe we can fight fire with fire."

Ryan nodded without looking back this time, charged up, and fired off a beam of draconic energy, catching the Glaceon off guard and sending it flying out of battle. This caused Mandy to beat the table with frustration.

"That's two," Khrista noted. "Who's next?"

Mandy let out a low growl as she retrieved Glaceon, but that was soon replaced with a sinister grin. "You'll see."

Khrista frowned. Mandy had already used up two of her more "legal" Pokemon, and she most likely had a glitch of some sort on her team. If she was bringing out that glitch now, she probably thought she was going to win with that one Pokemon.

A PokeBall quickly appeared on the PokeDex's screen, popping open with a flash of light, revealing a large Pokemon's form. When the light faded, a Rhyperior was glaring at Ryan. A white Rhyperior.

Khrista's eyes narrowed as Mandy grinned triumphantly.

"I found this guy wandering around Stark Mountain!" she explained proudly. "It was only a Rhydon at the time, though. So I evolved it."

"Are you back to normal?" Khrista asked in a quiet voice. "Your Type isn't messed up anymore, is it?"

The Rhyperior snorted. "Palkia kept his promise and changed me back, but the coloring won't go away. That's why I went to him in the first place -- I wanted to turn back to normal. No Pokemon wants to look like this."

"If you caught Pokerus and it changed your color, I don't really see it as a problem," Ryan responded. "It just shows your more powerful than other Rhyperior of your level." He grinned. "And I'm more than ready to test that out for you."

Khrista's eyes widened slightly, then grinned. "All right, then. Start with another Aura Sphere, Ryan."

Ryan nodded and threw the ball of blue energy at the Shiny Pokemon in front of him. In response, Rhyperior threw up a Protect, causing the move to bounce off and dissipate.

Khrista's eyes narrowed. "You've certainly taken every precaution with this one," she noted.

Mandy grinned. "And that's not all!"

"Close Combat," Khrista muttered under her breath. "Quickly."

Ryan dashed forward and was about to punch the Rhyperior when the ground began to shake. Ryan stumbled and was hit by a piece of what appeared to be a roof. The Lucario fell down and didn't get back up.

Khrista let out a growl of annoyance as Mandy grinned in triumph. Bolt noticed the anger sparking in his Trainer's eyes, and grabbed her shoulder. Khrista then forced herself to calm down and released her next Pokemon.

Vapor appeared out of his PokeBall and sat down calmly on the battlefield, giving the Shiny Rhyperior a curious look. "Who was taken out this time?"

"Ryan," Khrista replied. "It's used Earthquake and Protect so far."

"Uh-huh. I see what needs to be done. I've been working on this combo for a while." The Water-Type crouched, then fired off a beam of ice as large as a Hydro Pump. Rhyperior was instantly frozen in a block of ice.

"What was that?" Khrista asked, eyes wide. Mandy's eyes had widened to the point of bursting out of her head.

"That has to be a cheat!" Mandy exclaimed.

"Vapor calls it Icicle Blast," Bolt supplied. "It costs Power Points from Ice Beam, Aurora Beam, and Hydro Pump."

"That's right, I forgot he had Ice Beam...."

"And I need to recharge," Vapor added. He watched calmly as Rhyperior broke out of the ice block and caused another Earthquake. Vapor shook his head. "That didn't hurt much. Let's give this another shot."

"Muddy Water," Khrista suggested. She grinned at Mandy. "You can do another Icicle Blast again if Rhyperior refuses to faint."

Mandy folded her arms across her chest. "Cheater," she muttered.

"Riiiight," Khrista replied smoothly. "You do realize that each move that a Pokemon uses was made up through creativity and necessity? Icicle Blast is probably going to show up soon enough in future games." She looked down at the PokeDex screen, which showed that Rhyperior had long since fainted and Mandy was considering her next Pokemon. "Three down."

Mandy let out a growl. "You're not helping, you know that?" She pressed a few buttons on her DSi, and another Pokemon appeared on the screen -- a Shiny Giratina. "See if you can beat that!"

Vapor looked back at his Trainer, a bored expression on his face. "Is she serious?"

"Yeah, she is," Khrista admitted. Her eyes went over to her DS screen, taking note that the Sinnoh Legendary was out up a Level 100. "Let's go with Ice Beam."

Vapor nodded, then turned to face the Giratina and fired off the attack. Khrista could see that the Legendary had started to become fuzzy around the edges, and wasn't sure if that meant it was a glitch or that it was about to use Shadow Force. Whatever the case, the Giratina didn't have a chance -- it was fainted by Vapor's Ice Beam.

The Eeveelution let out a bored yawn. "How much longer to we have to go?"

"Not too long, I don't think," Khrista replied. "We've already taken down four of her Pokemon."

Mandy let it a growl in response, taking note of the look Bolt was giving her. "You ain't seen nothin' yet," she muttered, quoting one of the songs that was known to pop up on the radio from time to time. A moment later, a slightly familiar figure appeared in front of them.

Vapor bristled at the sight of the figure. "She's got one of Mewtwo's family!"

Khrista's eyes scanned the strange, yellow-and-green figure in front of them. "Either she found it in Cerulean Cave, or.... Vapor, Icicle Blast!"

Before Vapor could even fire off the new-found "Ultimate Ice attack," the Mewtwo charged up an Electro Ball and threw it at Vapor. The Water-Type was down in an instant.

Khrista's eyes narrowed, and she went through her team in order to find a Pokemon that might be able to take out the Legendary without trouble. However, she was unsure as to what moves Mandy might have taught the Mewtwo to replace other water.

"All right," she muttered. "Let's go with her." She pressed the "A" button, and a flash appeared on the PokeDex screen.

"Whoo! Let's bring them down!"

Mandy gave Khrista a look of shock. "More cheats?"

"No," Khrista responded. "It's Mist, my very own Shiny Angeleon, thanks to efforts from my own Eeveelution team."

Mist, a golden Angeleon with silver wings, flapped her feathered appendages as she looked the Mewtwo over. "Oh, great. Another one."

Khrista gave her an odd look. "Another one?"

"A lot of Trainers we've come across ever since you left had all sorts of Shiny Legendaries. This guy won't be a problem."

Khrista smirked. "All right, then. Let's go with a Dark move."

Mist nodded. "Let's go. Dark Pulse!" Her fur darkened suddenly, and a dark shockwave went out from her, hitting Mewtwo. The Shiny Legendary dropped to one knee, looking a little more sickly than he already did.

Mandy's eyes widened in shock. "Wh-what--"

"Mist is one of those Pokemon that gains odd moves through unusual circumstances," Khrista explained calmly. "All right, Mist. Finish him off."

Mist's tail twitched, and she flew up into the air. "Let's go! Sky Slam!" She rammed into Mewtwo with everything she had, taking out the Shiny Legendary.

Mandy's eyes narrowed. "You cheat!"

"You're the one who wanted it 'no restrictions'," Khrista replied. "Besides, I'm only using my DS as a connector to your system, so that you can see what I'm doing on my PokeDex." She turned the red device so that Mandy could see the screen. "See? I can see what my team's doing without the DS, and I can keep track of yours if they're close enough." She turned the PokeDex back around before Mandy could do anything to it. "What's your last Pokemon?"

Mandy blinked, then grinned. "You won't expect this one."

On the screen, there was a flash...and the area instantly became black, with a strange creature in front of Mist. Sometimes, it looked like an identifiable Pokemon, and other times, it turned into a box of glitched data.

Bolt frowned. "What is _that_?"

"What did you do, Mandy?" Khrista asked.

"That is Missingno., the first Pokemon glitch," Mandy replied proudly. "And the only one to actually exist in the first games. It took me a lot of work to get it into my Black 2 game."

"You mean a lot of hacking," Khrista responded. "You're an idiot if you think that did nothing to the game. Mist, try another Dark Pulse."

Mandy laughed. "That won't do anything against this one. It's invincible!"

Mist snorted. "If it were that, then Arceus would make sure that it's dead!" She fired off a Dark Pulse, but that didn't seem to have an effect. "By Zapdos' ThunderBeak! Just die already!"

She reared back and fired a blue sphere of energy, causing the strange creature to suddenly shriek in pain, the strange creature flickering into a backwards-L shape for a moment.

Khrista blinked In surprise. "I recognize that shape from somewhere.... Try another Aura Sphere!"

Mist nodded and fired off a second, only for it to bounce off a Protect.

"What is this thing?" Mist demanded.

"Mandy said it's a glitch," Khrista muttered. "If it doesn't like Fighting-Type moves, and it's got a Protect up.... Try another Aura Sphere; it can't keep that energy shield up forever."

Mandy frowned. "Protect? I didn't order it to do that."

"The Pokemon was never meant to exist; in case you haven't noticed, the monster has already affected the battlefield." Khrista motioned for Mandy to come over, showing the teen what was going on. "You're an idiot, Mandy. Cheating is not the way to go, especially when this world is _real_."

"You shouldn't cheat, anyway!" Mist snapped. "Trainers have been disqualified from tournaments for trying to be people they're not." She fired another Aura Sphere, but the Missingno. refused to faint. "I'm going to need everyone's help out here!"

In response, Rayquaza, Swamp, and the real Mewtwo appeared in flashes of light.

Chaos took one look at the monster and growled in annoyance. _"Great. The computer virus has found it's way into the real world. It's weakness is Fighting, but anything else can still do damage. Let's move."_ He charged up an Aura Sphere and fired it at Missingno, causing it to shriek in pain a second time.

Mandy swallowed nervously. "What did Mewtwo mean by that?"

Khrista frowned. "My guess is that Team Rocket originally intended for Missingno. to be a computer virus they could use to take out computer systems, but it became too powerful and the sealed it away."

 _"Correct."_ Chaos ducked a ricocheting Aura Sphere. _"They planned on destroying every computer system in the police force, but Missingno. liked their systems more."_

He fired off another Aura Sphere, adding, _"They tore apart its programming to make sure it couldn't damage anything they had, and it seems your friend had the knowledge to put it back together."_ The Psychic Legendary quickly changed tactics, small bolts of Psychic energy appearing out of the air around him and striking the monster repeatedly. _"We have to tear it apart before it does the same to this world."_

All the Pokemon nodded and started to attack at once, each aiming for one spot on the monster. The Missingno. thrashed wildly, then tried to answer in kind, but Mewtwo stopped his attack to set up a Barrier to keep the monster's attacks back.

Slowly, the creature started to stop thrashing, only to suddenly come back with more power. As Khrista's Pokemon began to become exhausted rom the amount of power they were using, there was a sudden flash in the center of the black space, the light growing ever outward. When the light became blinding, the Pokemon stopped their attacks and looked away, as did Khrista, Mandy, and Bolt. When the light faded, everyone looked back, only to find that Arceus was standing in the center of the battlefield, and where the monster had stood, a rather disgruntled teal Ditto sat in its place.

 _"Mandy,"_ Arceus stated, _"you should know better than to mess with the forces of nature. Many people have paid the price for your releasing of this menace on our world."_ The Legendary's eyes flashed. _"For this, your data has been removed from the computer systems. You may start new journeys in other regions, but only Black 2 will follow what has taken place. What you do in these places will be watched. If you so much as steal a Gym Badge, your data will be erased and you will be forced to start over."_ With that, Arceus vanished.

As Khrista was shutting down her connection to the Pokemon world, Mandy said nervously, "Sorry about that."

Khrista gave Mandy an odd look. "You wouldn't have known how much of an affect your cheating would have had on their world unless you were sucked there with us. Just make sure that you don't cheat again, all right?" She looked at Bolt. "You want to stay out here for a little while longer?"

Bolt nodded. "Volt's already had a look around; I want to see the world without Pokemon, too."

Khrista smirked. "All right, then." She motioned for the Pokemon to hop up on her shoulder as she put the electronic devices in her pocket. "You might want to get rid of your cheat codes, Mandy. You probably don't want to catch Arceus when he's in a bad mood, either."

Mandy's eyes moved to the sidewalk. "I'd kind of appreciate some help with that," she murmured.

Khrista exchanged a quick glance with Bolt, then smirked.

"I'll see what I can do," she stated. "Where's your game stash?"

**Spacial Break**

Maria watched from a distance as Mandy and Knrista walked off, Bolt sitting happily on his Trainer's shoulder. "Looks like they've made up."

A figure beside her nodded in agreement. _"Do you believe that Mandy will keep her promise?"_

"I don't know, Merlin, but I really hope that she does. It'll be one step closer to causing the cheats to stop. By tomorrow, everyone with a Missingno. will find themselves with a Shiny Ditto that won't have anything to do with their original forms." Maria grinned, delighted. "And then the rest will follow."

 _"Indeed."_ Merlin gave Maria a curious look. _"Now, would you kindly tell me where you went while Cyrus tried to hunt you down?"_

Maria's grin became a nervous smile. "Let's head back to my house; I can speak freely about that there." She absently reached for her chest, then stopped. "I still forget sometimes that it isn't there anymore." Seeing the confused frown on Merlin's face, Maria stated, "It's all a part of the story you wanted. Come on; I'll start it on the way...."


End file.
